Ace always doing good work! Keep it up my guy!!!!
Ace always doing good work! Keep it up my guy!!!!
That's nuts. Reminds me of that one season where Duncan had more blocks than fouls, the only one in league history iirc.
I didn't watch him at FSU. Was his low turnover rate due to chucking up shots, actually being a really good and smart ball-handler, low usage, some combination of those? Or something else?
Here's what fivethiryeight had to say about Vassell:
For that reason alone, Vassell, who has been pegged as one of the best defensive players in the entire draft, makes sense for all these teams. Along with having a wiry 6-foot-7 frame with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, his off-ball awareness makes it seem as if six defenders are on the floor. Whether he’s trailing ball-handlers over screens, ducking under them and then recovering, or chasing JJ Re -esque shooting guards from sideline to sideline, Vassell should display his value from the jump.
Just as important: He made 41.7 percent of his threes in two seasons as a Seminole. It wasn’t at the same volume as Bey or Nesmith (only 3.5 tries per game last year), but as a sop re, Vassell finished second in offensive rating (126.9) and sixth in true shooting percentage (58.5) in the ACC. Nationwide, he had the 16th-lowest turnover rate (8.2 percent), according to KenPom. Along with Bey, Vassell can excel inside an important role while having the size, physical tools and skill to someday expand beyond it.
Here’s what Florida State assistant coach Stan Jones recently said about his development: “He’s got great basketball IQ. He’s a great finisher in transition. He’s got an unbelievable ability to go left or right, take one or two dribbles and get his primary defender up in the air a little bit. And he’s a killer on midrange jumpers.”
Full article comparing Nesmith, Vassell, and Bey: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...modern-league/
Wow.
Those are both impressive stats. The second is major. Tre Jones is also known to be very good defending PNRs.
One thing to consider is how the loss of the NCAA Tournament impacted the draft board. We will never know, of course, but often reputations are made with deep runs, and the Seminoles were especially damaged by the inability to show themselves on the world stage. There's a chance Vassell could have risen with a complete season.
Ben actually did that for his whole career, apparently. Maybe Tim did something else along with that that made him special.
https://www.basketball-reference.com...wallabe01.html
Looking at Tim's stats, he had several seasons like that too. I must have misremembered something. I do know the season I'm thinking of was late in his career, either the last or second-to-last.
In 12-13 he had 187 blocks to 113 fouls. That ratio is bonkers.
Want to go full analytics/optimist mode on Devin Vassell? Will put a smile on your face.
Duncan always had a great Block-to-Foul ratio, but he's not the only one to finish a season with more blocks than fouls-- Ben Wallace, Marcus Camby, Serge Ibaka, Hassan Whiteside, Anthony Davis, Andrew Bynum, Brook Lopez, Rudy Gobert, and Pau Gasol have all done it in the last dozen years.
To be clear, I don't really like defensive analytics. That's what tricked people into thinking Murray was some All-Defense player. But obviously, it's not a bad thing that he has that kind of track record. Maybe he and DeJounte will be the starting back court next season and get a bunch of turnovers.
Murray, White, Jones
Vassell, Walker, Mills
DeRozan, Johnson
Lyles, Gay, Samanic
Aldridge, Poeltl, Eubanks
I don't love Trey at PF, but I could see that team being a huge improvement over what they've had with Forbes and Beli
The major reason Kawhi was considered such an incredible defender was not just that he could lockdown players he was guarding, but that he wreaked havoc on entire sectors of the court. Wherever he was, there was a turnover or deflection waiting to happen. (He's dropped off since then.)
Vassell doesn't project as the same one-on-one beast, but he could be the same player within whatever area he's in -- and people are wrong to downplay how vital good help defense is, especially in this era when defenders are constantly pulled to the three-point line. Not only does Vassell seem to recover very well, not only does he seem to guard the PnR very well, not only can he potentially erase the mistakes of teammates, he potentially solves some of the problem of fielding a good defensive team in an era where it's remarkably hard to be one.
Kawhi's ability as a one-on-one defender was always overstated. He had a tremendous defensive support group. That's why instead of "making guys work" or "getting under their skin", the Spurs were able to shut down perimeter players on the regular. The point is well taken that Vassell is more likely someone who would be part of that support system rather than the beneficiary of it. But him, White, Johnson, Poeltl and even Murray have a chance to reek havoc. They might be able to get Achiuwa from the Heat as well, and that would be a really interesting cast of defenders.
Huh? How?
Needs more bulk and better handles and he will be a 10 year starter. Trevor Ariza-lite.
You're nuts. Leonard really was an incredible defender.
I think we’ll be playing four guards most of the time, so that ups the need for guards somewhat.
DJM, Patty, Tre'J
White, LW4, QW
DDR, Keldon, Vassell
Lyles, Gay, Saminic
LMA, Jakob, Drew
The following season:
DJM, Tre-J, QW
White, LW4, Free Agent
Keldon, Vassell, F-Agent
Samanic, Lyles, 2nd Rd Pick
Jakob, Drew, 1st Rd Pick
Yes, but he didn't "shut down" players alone. He, Green, Splitter and Duncan always combined to shut down opposing players. That's why the standard for what they could do was so much higher than it was for Bowen, who rarely shut down stars the way the Spurs could in the Medium Three era.
I'm just speculating about an Aldridge trade down the line.
I guarantee you white starting after what happened in the bubble
one of the biggest issues this team had is that there was nobody on the wings who could help to block shots. Our shotblockers were always our bigs and to a certain degree Derrick White. But back then when we had nephew and Danny they would always fly in and swat shots away. That's also why I'm against Lyles being a starter. I want somebody at the 4 who can help protect the rim as well, like Jeremy Grant for example
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