TALLAHASSEE, Fl. — Sophomore Devin Vassell, who led No. 4 ranked Florida State in both scoring and rebounding in 2020, will declare himself eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft. The All-ACC Second Team Selection led the Seminoles to the first regular season ACC Championship in school history in 2020 – a title that led to Florida State being declared the ACC Champions — and to the Sweet 16 of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision because I love my brothers, our coaching staff and Florida State University,” said Vassell. “I have dreamed about playing in the NBA since I first picked up a basketball. My family and I know this is the right time to make this move. This was a very difficult decision because of my love for the entire Florida State Basketball program. Being a Seminole basketball player prepares you to play at the next level.”
Vassell averaged a career-high 12.7 points and a career-high 5.1 rebounds in 30 games played while leading the Seminoles to a 25-6 overall record and a 16-4 mark in ACC play. He averaged a career-high 1.4 steals and a career-high 0.9 blocks while shooting .490 from the field and a stellar .415 from the 3-point line. Vassell scored his career-high of 27 points as he made a career-high seven of seven 3-point field goals in Florida State’s victory over Virginia Tech on February 1, 2020.
“We are very happy for Devin,” said Seminole Head Coach Leonard Hamilton. “We have seen greatness in him all along and he still has a tremendous amount of greatness that he will take with him to the next level. We know that he will be successful because he is a wonderful young man who comes from a tremendous family. Our staff knows that there is nothing but great things in store for him.”
Florida State amassed a record of 55-13 overall record (.809 winning percentage) and was 29-9 in the ACC (.763 winning percentage) in Vassell’s two seasons at Florida State. The Seminoles set the school record for overall wins in a season during the 2018-19 season (29) and the school record for ACC victories in a season (16) in winning the first regular season ACC Championship in school history in 2020.
In addition to earning All-ACC Second-Team honors in 2020, Vassell was named to the 2020 Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year Award and Julius Erving National Small Forward Player of the Year Watch Lists as a sophomore. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player and to the All-Tournament Team in leading Florida State to the Championship of the 2019 Emerald Coast Classic.
Academically, Vassell was named to the 2019 ACC Academic Honor Roll and to the 2020 All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball team.
Vassell earned career-high averages and percentages in nearly every statistical category in 2020. In addition to career-high averages in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots, he averaged a career-high 2.8 minutes played per game, made a career-high 44 3-point field goals and shot his career-high of .738 from the free throw line.
Vassell is the eighth Seminole under Hamilton to make himself available as an early entry candidate for the NBA Draft joining Von Wafer (2005; Second Round NBA Draft Pick, Los Angeles Lakers), Alexander Johnson (2006; Second Round, Indiana Pacers), Chris Singleton (2011; First Round, Washington Wizards), Malik Beasley (2016; First Round, Denver Nuggets), Jonathan Isaac (2017, First Round, Orlando Magic), Dwayne Bacon (2017; Second Round, New Orleans Pelicans) and Mfiondu Kabengele (2019; First Round, Los Angeles Clippers).
