NBA Draft 2020: Top 3 options for Chicago Bulls to pick in 1st round
Possible NBA Draft target for Chicago Bulls – Devin Vassell
Forward – Florida State – 6’7 – 194 lbs – 19 years old
While Okoro possesses the most upside of any wing in the draft, Vassell is the most NBA ready. At 6’7, with long arms and a clean shooting stroke, the Florida State wing would be a welcomed contributor to the Bulls from day one.
Vassell had a quiet freshman season scoring just under four points per game in 10 minutes of action, but as a sophomore, he quickly established himself as a crucial piece in Leonard Hamilton’s rotation. Vassell led the Seminoles in scoring (12.7 points per game), rebounds (5.1), and blocks (1.0). He earned second-team All-ACC honors as the Seminoles, somewhat surprisingly, won the ACC. His plus 10.9 box plus/minus was one of the best in the country
Vassell’s NBA fit is easy to recognize. Defensively, he is a brilliant team defender who is constantly in the right spots. He moves his body well and uses long strides to cover space on the court. He’s not a lockdown defender in one-on-one scenarios, but he is good enough to be a plus defender in the NBA. In Florida State’s switching defense, he showed the ability to contain guards off the dribble and if he adds weight to his wiry frame, he could switch onto bigs as well.
Devin Vassell has awesome length as a defender. Great job here of disrupting this pass and finding an open man. Big fan of his game. pic.twitter.com/WgOneQArQZ
— Brandon Simberg (@BrandonSimberg) June 1, 2020
Offensively, Vassell fits the mold of the “3-and-D” wing. He’s not going to be a player that teams throw the ball to in crunch time to get a bucket, but he is a more than capable three-point shooter which should translate to the next level. He has a solid, but not spectacular feel for the game that should help him stay on the floor.
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With the Bulls, Vassell could backup Porter for a season before stepping into a starting role in year two. His perimeter shooting compliments the Bulls’ current pieces. Similarly to Haliburton, I don’t foresee Vassell ever becoming an All-Star with his limited playmaking skills and lack of elite burst. But his defense and shooting should make him a valuable role player for an extended NBA career.