Should FSU’s Devin Vassell receive more consideration as the Hawks’ draft pick?由黄衣哈斯塔 发表在NBA选秀—NCAA https://bbs.hupu.com/nba-draft-ncaa
Florida State men’s basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton laughed for more than 20 seconds straight. He then paused to gather himself and then laughed some more. It wasn’t uncontrollable laugher on the other end of the phone, and it wasn’t like I told him a joke that would seem as if I was getting millions of dollars for a comedy special on Netflix.
Hamilton asked about the Hawks’ current roster and what they might look for in the draft because he, admittedly, doesn’t read any NBA Draft coverage and is unfamiliar with who the top prospects are in this draft outside of his own players, Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams, who both might end up being lottery picks. He further illustrated his lack of draft knowledge when he asked which team has the No. 1 pick (the lottery is on Aug. 25).
Hamilton was laughing, however, because I just described to him what kind of player the Hawks could use — ideally, they would add someone who can defend at a high level, has some creative ability, can make open shots at an above-average rate and doesn’t need the ball in his hands much to be effective.
He laughed because the player I was describing fit the profile of what Vassell could offer the Hawks.
“He’s a complete basketball player,” Hamilton said. “He blocks shots. He steals the ball. He defends. He makes good decisions with the ball. He’s a good passer. He’s a willing passer, and you can’t leave him open. He shot over 40 percent from 3 as a freshman and sophomore. I don’t know many guys in the NBA who have shot over 40 percent as a freshman and sophomore in college. You can only compare him to someone like Klay Thompson from the Warriors. That’s honestly the closest person I’ve seen that you can relate Devin to because if he has an open look, it’s going in.”
The “3-and-D” moniker is often thrown around without much thought. It seems as if most 3-and-D players usually aren’t adept at both. For example, Taurean Prince was supposed to be that 3-and-D player for the Hawks, yet he played little defense and was traded to Brooklyn last summer.
Vassell shot 41.7 percent from 3 in his two years at FSU and had a terrific 3.2 STOCK rate (steals plus blocks) per 40 minutes this past season. An argument could be made that Vassell was the best team defender in college basketball. That’s an important accolade for a team like Atlanta because the Hawks need to shore up the point of attack. Because of Trae Young’s defensive liabilities, having good team defenders is almost a necessity.
Take this clip as an example of what Vassell (No. 24) could bring the Hawks defensively. He anticipates side pick-and-roll action, leaves his man to rotate to the rim, which diffuses North Alabama’s original play. He never loses track of the ball after getting knocked in the side. At the end of North Alabama’s possession, Vassell finishes with a strong, quick closeout to force a wild shot.
This next play provides a little bit of everything. He fights through the screen and stays with the ballhandler, pokes the ball away and leads the Seminoles in transition. The offense then runs through him at the top of the key, and he finishes the possession with a smooth one dribble side step jumper.
Vassell has one of the smoothest looking shots in this year’s draft and improved his handle enough from his freshman to his sophomore season to hit the kind of shot he made in the second clip.
One of Vassell’s biggest minuses is he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to get to the rim. He only attempted three free throws per game this past season. Part of the reason for that is because he’s very slender — he’s listed as 6-foot-7 and 194 pounds. Because of his slight frame, he hasn’t shown he’s able to finish through contact with confidence. His lack of finishing at the rim mirrors what Kevin Huerter has been struggling with for the past two seasons. Vassell also doesn’t have that burst to beat defenders off the dribble and drive to the rim, whereas someone like Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, who is also a wing to note for the Hawks, thrives in that role.
Vassell and Okoro are compared often in draft circles, but their respective fit in Atlanta would be much different. Vassell is a much better shooter than Okoro right now; it’s the biggest weakness in Okoro’s game. On a team like Atlanta, Okoro can’t be stuck in a corner because he’s currently not a threat to shoot. I’d be interested to see how the Hawks would look if Okoro ended up being a pick and he played with Clint Capela at the same time. The spacing on the floor would be less than ideal as opposed to Vassell, who could be placed in the corner because of his ability to shoot. In an offense that revolves so much around Young, I’d worry that Okoro would be a non-factor on that side of the floor. Both would fit in well defensively and add much-needed value. Okoro would give the Hawks a projected wing-stopper and another strong body on the perimeter to pair with De’Andre Hunter. Okoro’s presence possibly would free up Cam Reddish to roam the perimeter more and create havoc.
Vassell’s profile doesn’t scream future star, but in a draft with not much high-level talent, he should be strongly considered if the Hawks fall in the five to seven range. The only player who should be picked over him for the Hawks is Anthony Edwards because he has the most star potential. Players such as Okoro, Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton and Killian Hayes, to name a few, are all in the same tier for a Hawks-specific board and have their own arguments for why they should be the pick, but Vassell would not be a bad option.
“He doesn’t have a technical weakness,” Hamilton said of Vassell. “He checks all of the boxes. I have never seen Okoro play, but I do know that Devin checks all of the boxes. I don’t know many guys who can defend, rebound, block shots, shoot the ball off the dribble — he has the whole package. He only needs to physically mature and grow. Everyone has a different clock. He’s strong, physical and aggressive. His physical attributes won’t limit him from being effective. He still might even grow another inch or two.”
If Vassell ended up being the Hawks’ pick, they still would need someone to fill that secondary creator role. As we’ve previously discussed, Huerter should have more opportunities to create because it’s an underrated skill of his, but, again, long-term, the defensive fit with Huerter and Young is a big question mark. That’s where Vassell could separate himself over Huerter because Vassell’s defensive fit projects to fit about as well as the Hawks could want out of a two-guard. While Vassell does possess good vision for a wing, he’s not as skilled as Okoro, who ultimately could develop into a team’s No. 2 playmaker.
Much like Okoro, who we’ve profiled already with the help of Bruce Pearl, Vassell’s IQ and character are two of his biggest strengths. NBA scouts believe there is zero doubt both players are going to be excellent in the locker room with no concerns about a determination to improve their current perceived weaknesses. We know that high character is important for general manager Travis Schlenk’s locker room.
“He’s just a great culture guy. He has an unselfish spirit. He has all of the innate qualities to be a superstar,” Hamilton said. “If his talent ends up matching his character and attitude, there’s no doubt he will be a superstar. He’s the kind of guy who you’d want to introduce to your sister but also a guy you want to take the last-second shot. If a fight breaks out in the corner, you’d also want to call him over because you know he’s going to be right there with you. He has all of those qualities. I can’t be happier for him because he’s one of the nicest, classiest, most hard-working guys I’ve ever been around.
“I think he’s going to be a superstar at the next level.”
Vassell isn’t a perfect prospect and may never reach the level Hamilton speaks of, but Vassell certainly has plug-and-play potential from Day 1 if the Hawks landed him in the lottery.
(Photo: Melina Myers / USA Today)
Florida State men’s basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton laughed for more than 20 seconds straight. He then paused to gather himself and then laughed some more. It wasn’t uncontrollable laugher on the other end of the phone, and it wasn’t like I told him a joke that would seem as if I was getting millions of dollars for a comedy special on Netflix.
Hamilton asked about the Hawks’ current roster and what they might look for in the draft because he, admittedly, doesn’t read any NBA Draft coverage and is unfamiliar with who the top prospects are in this draft outside of his own players, Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams, who both might end up being lottery picks. He further illustrated his lack of draft knowledge when he asked which team has the No. 1 pick (the lottery is on Aug. 25).
Hamilton was laughing, however, because I just described to him what kind of player the Hawks could use — ideally, they would add someone who can defend at a high level, has some creative ability, can make open shots at an above-average rate and doesn’t need the ball in his hands much to be effective.
He laughed because the player I was describing fit the profile of what Vassell could offer the Hawks.
“He’s a complete basketball player,” Hamilton said. “He blocks shots. He steals the ball. He defends. He makes good decisions with the ball. He’s a good passer. He’s a willing passer, and you can’t leave him open. He shot over 40 percent from 3 as a freshman and sophomore. I don’t know many guys in the NBA who have shot over 40 percent as a freshman and sophomore in college. You can only compare him to someone like Klay Thompson from the Warriors. That’s honestly the closest person I’ve seen that you can relate Devin to because if he has an open look, it’s going in.”
The “3-and-D” moniker is often thrown around without much thought. It seems as if most 3-and-D players usually aren’t adept at both. For example, Taurean Prince was supposed to be that 3-and-D player for the Hawks, yet he played little defense and was traded to Brooklyn last summer.
Vassell shot 41.7 percent from 3 in his two years at FSU and had a terrific 3.2 STOCK rate (steals plus blocks) per 40 minutes this past season. An argument could be made that Vassell was the best team defender in college basketball. That’s an important accolade for a team like Atlanta because the Hawks need to shore up the point of attack. Because of Trae Young’s defensive liabilities, having good team defenders is almost a necessity.
Take this clip as an example of what Vassell (No. 24) could bring the Hawks defensively. He anticipates side pick-and-roll action, leaves his man to rotate to the rim, which diffuses North Alabama’s original play. He never loses track of the ball after getting knocked in the side. At the end of North Alabama’s possession, Vassell finishes with a strong, quick closeout to force a wild shot.
This next play provides a little bit of everything. He fights through the screen and stays with the ballhandler, pokes the ball away and leads the Seminoles in transition. The offense then runs through him at the top of the key, and he finishes the possession with a smooth one dribble side step jumper.
Vassell has one of the smoothest looking shots in this year’s draft and improved his handle enough from his freshman to his sophomore season to hit the kind of shot he made in the second clip.
One of Vassell’s biggest minuses is he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to get to the rim. He only attempted three free throws per game this past season. Part of the reason for that is because he’s very slender — he’s listed as 6-foot-7 and 194 pounds. Because of his slight frame, he hasn’t shown he’s able to finish through contact with confidence. His lack of finishing at the rim mirrors what Kevin Huerter has been struggling with for the past two seasons. Vassell also doesn’t have that burst to beat defenders off the dribble and drive to the rim, whereas someone like Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, who is also a wing to note for the Hawks, thrives in that role.
Vassell and Okoro are compared often in draft circles, but their respective fit in Atlanta would be much different. Vassell is a much better shooter than Okoro right now; it’s the biggest weakness in Okoro’s game. On a team like Atlanta, Okoro can’t be stuck in a corner because he’s currently not a threat to shoot. I’d be interested to see how the Hawks would look if Okoro ended up being a pick and he played with Clint Capela at the same time. The spacing on the floor would be less than ideal as opposed to Vassell, who could be placed in the corner because of his ability to shoot. In an offense that revolves so much around Young, I’d worry that Okoro would be a non-factor on that side of the floor. Both would fit in well defensively and add much-needed value. Okoro would give the Hawks a projected wing-stopper and another strong body on the perimeter to pair with De’Andre Hunter. Okoro’s presence possibly would free up Cam Reddish to roam the perimeter more and create havoc.
Vassell’s profile doesn’t scream future star, but in a draft with not much high-level talent, he should be strongly considered if the Hawks fall in the five to seven range. The only player who should be picked over him for the Hawks is Anthony Edwards because he has the most star potential. Players such as Okoro, Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton and Killian Hayes, to name a few, are all in the same tier for a Hawks-specific board and have their own arguments for why they should be the pick, but Vassell would not be a bad option.
“He doesn’t have a technical weakness,” Hamilton said of Vassell. “He checks all of the boxes. I have never seen Okoro play, but I do know that Devin checks all of the boxes. I don’t know many guys who can defend, rebound, block shots, shoot the ball off the dribble — he has the whole package. He only needs to physically mature and grow. Everyone has a different clock. He’s strong, physical and aggressive. His physical attributes won’t limit him from being effective. He still might even grow another inch or two.”
If Vassell ended up being the Hawks’ pick, they still would need someone to fill that secondary creator role. As we’ve previously discussed, Huerter should have more opportunities to create because it’s an underrated skill of his, but, again, long-term, the defensive fit with Huerter and Young is a big question mark. That’s where Vassell could separate himself over Huerter because Vassell’s defensive fit projects to fit about as well as the Hawks could want out of a two-guard. While Vassell does possess good vision for a wing, he’s not as skilled as Okoro, who ultimately could develop into a team’s No. 2 playmaker.
Much like Okoro, who we’ve profiled already with the help of Bruce Pearl, Vassell’s IQ and character are two of his biggest strengths. NBA scouts believe there is zero doubt both players are going to be excellent in the locker room with no concerns about a determination to improve their current perceived weaknesses. We know that high character is important for general manager Travis Schlenk’s locker room.
“He’s just a great culture guy. He has an unselfish spirit. He has all of the innate qualities to be a superstar,” Hamilton said. “If his talent ends up matching his character and attitude, there’s no doubt he will be a superstar. He’s the kind of guy who you’d want to introduce to your sister but also a guy you want to take the last-second shot. If a fight breaks out in the corner, you’d also want to call him over because you know he’s going to be right there with you. He has all of those qualities. I can’t be happier for him because he’s one of the nicest, classiest, most hard-working guys I’ve ever been around.
“I think he’s going to be a superstar at the next level.”
Vassell isn’t a perfect prospect and may never reach the level Hamilton speaks of, but Vassell certainly has plug-and-play potential from Day 1 if the Hawks landed him in the lottery.
(Photo: Melina Myers / USA Today)
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