Drom John
04-20-2021, 11:21 AM
I don't like this mid-season, but....
Some ground rules, before we begin:
This analysis is only about offensive comparisons. Individual player defense is too tricky to measure, particularly using box score stats, to make confident comparisons, so the model calculating these comps ignores that half of the game.
The comparisons use a mix of stats that reflect a mix of offensive style, like usage rate, and offensive success, like points scored. The three counting stats used—points, rebounds, and assists—are converted to a per-75-possessions basis to account for differences in minutes played and pace, and true shooting percentage is also indexed to the league average to account for efficiency inflation.
The pool of possible comps includes 532 players—every rookie since the 1999-2000 season to play at least 800 minutes.
Devin Vassell, Spurs (no. 11)
Top five comps: (1) Keith Bogans, (2) Miles Bridges, (3) Jae Crowder, (4) Paul Zipser, (5) Justin Jackson
What it means: Vassell is a lot like Toppin: playing in a crowded backcourt, for a demanding coach, on a playoff contender that can’t extend too many minutes to a rookie. Vassell’s shot has translated to the NBA—he’s made 41 percent of his 3-pointers—but he hasn’t really contributed anywhere else, and thus his comps fit into the squishy middle of 3-and-D-on-a-good-day wings.
Some ground rules, before we begin:
This analysis is only about offensive comparisons. Individual player defense is too tricky to measure, particularly using box score stats, to make confident comparisons, so the model calculating these comps ignores that half of the game.
The comparisons use a mix of stats that reflect a mix of offensive style, like usage rate, and offensive success, like points scored. The three counting stats used—points, rebounds, and assists—are converted to a per-75-possessions basis to account for differences in minutes played and pace, and true shooting percentage is also indexed to the league average to account for efficiency inflation.
The pool of possible comps includes 532 players—every rookie since the 1999-2000 season to play at least 800 minutes.
Devin Vassell, Spurs (no. 11)
Top five comps: (1) Keith Bogans, (2) Miles Bridges, (3) Jae Crowder, (4) Paul Zipser, (5) Justin Jackson
What it means: Vassell is a lot like Toppin: playing in a crowded backcourt, for a demanding coach, on a playoff contender that can’t extend too many minutes to a rookie. Vassell’s shot has translated to the NBA—he’s made 41 percent of his 3-pointers—but he hasn’t really contributed anywhere else, and thus his comps fit into the squishy middle of 3-and-D-on-a-good-day wings.