Devin Vassell’s improved play impresses Spurs teammates – San Antonio Express-News
With the exception of the time he spent out west playing for the Spurs’ summer league team, swingman Devin Vassell pretty much had perfect attendance at the club’s practice facility this summer.
“He stayed in San Antonio the longest this summer,” Spurs forward/center Drew Eubanks said.
All that hard work at Spurs Lane, coupled with his impressive play in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, appears to have paid off for Vassell.
“Devin has stood out the most to me,” Eubanks said when asked about teammates who have improved the most since last season.
“… Everyone has improved, but Devin especially.”
Already an impressive defender, Vassell’s progress seems to have come mainly on the offensive end. So much so that Eubanks characterized the second-year pro from Florida State as a “knock-down shooter.”
“Just the way he can finish inside,” Eubanks said. “He pulls up, and his midrange is automatic. He’s got his long arms to shoot over big guys. Sometimes, when I see him coming off a pick, and normally you want to give that up (the midrange shot), but with Devin it’s tough because he’s a knockdown shooter from the midrange, and he can get to the glass and finish.”
Plenty of eyes will be on Vassell when the Spurs host the Utah Jazz on Monday night in the preseason opener.
But Vassell isn’t the only player who has taken a leap forward.
“There are probably two or three for sure that have already taken another step up,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “It might be confidence offensively as far as shooting the basketball or making a commitment defensively, that sort of thing, getting stronger, all those sorts of areas. It’s been positive.”
Eubanks hopes he also fits into the category of most-improved players after working on his outside touch all summer.
“I’ve been shooting them when I’m open,” he said. “I’ve got the green light. I take what the game gives me, and if I’m open, I’m open.”
Jazz enjoying
Gay’s veteran voice
The Spurs will have to wait until the regular season to face former teammate Rudy Gay on the court.
Gay, who signed with Utah in the offseason after four seasons with the Spurs, underwent surgery on his left heel this offseason and is “still working his way back,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.
Not surprisingly, though, Utah has already benefited from the 15-year veteran’s presence.
“Right now, he’s not able to participate in contact, but, even with that, his voice can be a strong one and a productive one,” Snyder said.
Snyder said he let Gay have the last word after a recent practice.
“I asked him if he had something to add, and he told Rudy Gobert, ‘You have to dunk that,’” Snyder said. “That coming from me or (assistant coach) Alex Jensen or (point guard) Mike Conley certainly has some value. But from Rudy, given his experience and the respect he has around the league and particularly on our team, that can be really valuable. And I think it’s something he enjoys. When you have that breadth and depth of knowledge about the league, that’s a role he can provide that can really be invaluable.”
All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell also praised Gay’s leadership.
“When you have played 15, 16 years in this league, you have seen a bunch of different things,” Mitchell said. “You know the game. You love the game. He’s able to give us insight.”
White takes notice
of UTSA’s fast start
An avid sports fan, Spurs guard Derrick White has been a face in the crowd at Missions baseball games and San Antonio FC soccer games.
“I enjoy going to the Missions game,” he said. “I enjoy going to the soccer games. I just love sports and going out there and supporting them and their craft. And it’s always great to see the fans.”
Now he’s considering taking in a UTSA football game at the Alamodome.
Powered by Frank Harris’ two touchdown passes, the Roadrunners improved to 5-0 to match their best start in program history with a 24-17 win over UNLV on Saturday night.
After practice Saturday morning, White said UTSA has been on his radar.
“I was just talking about UTSA,” he said. “They might be the best team in Texas. Don’t quote me on that. I might to do some research before I get attacked, but I think they got the best record. I do want to go to a UTSA game. I don’t know about today, but one day I will get to one.”
torsborn@express-news.net
Twitter: @tom_orsborn