The highly anticipated 2020 NBA draft took place on November 18, 2020 at 8pm on ESPN, as per usual. While many things were kept the same and reminded fans of basketball life before COVID-19, this year’s process was virtual. For the first time ever, no drafted player walked across the stage and shook Adam Silver’s hand, a moment many hopeful players look forward to in their lifetimes. Nonetheless, the draft held up a lot of its expectations and produced outcomes that both angered and pleased basketball fans of all regions.
The San Antonio Spurs have always been a hopeful team. With (now retired) players like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and David Robinson, they won many conference titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2014 as well as earned many other titles and earned high respect as a team. Since around 2015, they have been a pretty young team with a lot of fresh faces, such as Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker, and new potential. Nothing has stopped their grind or destroyed their grit, but it has put them in a vulnerable position as a team. With the draft comes new, potential, but this year in particular is especially exciting for the team and fan base. San Antonio secured the 11th and 41st picks in this year’s order, landing them Devin Vassell and Tre Jones, respectively.
Devin Vassell is going to San Antonio from Florida State University, though he attended high school at Peachtree Ridge High School in Georgia. Standing at 6’7 with a wingspan of 6’10 and weighing in at 194 pounds, Vassell is a shooting guard and small forward. He gained a lot of attention during his college career, especially during his exceptional sophomore season, by being a strong defender and shooter. A strong player on the floor, Vassell also consistently fulfills a role above the rim. Establishing himself as independent through the pick-and-roll play, he often employed this tactic with finesse to create an open shot. His NBA draft profile says it best when describing his strengths…:
“Vassell is arguably one of the best and most athletic wing defenders in this year’s draft. He shot 41.5% from deep his sophomore season, sporting a 56.5% effective field goal percentage. Vassell is an explosive athlete who also runs the floor well and never stops hustling.”
As well as his weaknesses:
“He will need to improve his ability to create offense. Like many rookies, Vassell will need to build more muscle and get stronger. His offensive game will be the concern, but he should be ready to play on the defensive end right away.” Though he has much work ahead of him, Vassell is a valuable player to the Spurs.
Tres Jones is going to San Antonio from Duke University and attended high school at Apple Valley in Minnesota. He stands at 6’2 and weighs 185 pounds as a point guard. He is a quick, smart player who can read the floor accurately and quickly. His draft profile describes his strengths as …:
“[Jones] finds passing lanes and makes easy dump-offs to big men … [He] shows potential on three-point shots (increased from 26.2% to 36.1% in sophomore campaign). [He] can hit pull-up for jumpers off the dribble on the break as well as in the half court set … Effective use of head fakes helps collapse defenses … Runs a transition offense very well … [His] footwork is solid on both ends of the court.”
And weaknesses as:
“[His] shooting consistency is probably the most glaring weakness. [He] can be a streaky shooter, taking longer than desired to realize he doesn’t have it on a given night … Release is a little slow, seems to lack confidence sometimes. [He] shows some crafty ability, but doesn’t deal with contact too well … When switched on defense, can be a liability because of size … Can grab long rebounds, but obviously can’t compete with bigger players.” Overall, Tres will also be a critical addition to the Spurs and will surely earn respect and opportunities within and outside of the franchise.
Fiesta jerseys and a seemingly hopeful season — what’s next for the San Antonio Spurs? Fans are eager for another title, and so is the team. Will a refreshing mindset in the 2020-21 season allow the Spurs to coordinate with new players and lead the team to another championship?
