Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Profile: Devin Vassell

Devin Vassell NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Profile: Weaknesses

For all of Vassell’s athleticism, which plays well in transition and on defense, and his lateral quickness, which is key to staying in front of opposing ball-handlers, Vassell lacks the quickness and burst to be truly dangerous off the bounce on offense.

Vassell rarely truly beat his man one-on-one at Florida State. When he would get his head and shoulders mostly past a defender, Vassell would often settle for a pull-up jumper. With his size and release point, this was usually a decent-quality shot, but when given the choice between getting into the paint and drawing a foul or creating an open shot for a teammate and a semi-contested mid-range jumper, the Wolves will always prefer the former.

When Vassell does have opportunities around the rim, his somewhat wiry frame makes finishing through contact something of a challenge. He’s much more comfortable shooting jumpers than getting into the paint. Vassell attempted just 2.2 free throw attempts per game, a free throw rate of only .221.

When he did get to the free throw line, Vassell shot 73.8 percent as a sophomore and 72 percent for his collegiate career — a mark that’s a bit lower than what you’d expect out of a 41 percent 3-point shooter.

Defensively, his only real shortcomings are a tendency to gamble at times and, again, his slight frame.

While Vassell isn’t exactly Corey Brewer in terms of his propensity to gamble, that same high-level anticipation that is such a positive can cause Vassell to get himself out of position at times by taking unnecessary risks.

In terms of his build, there are bigger wings and forwards at the NBA level who could give Vassell trouble early in his career. While he projects as someone who should be able to guard positions 1 through 4, it’ll be a challenge for him to truly lock down some of the more dynamic 4s in his first year in the league.