WESTERN BUREAU:
Aspiring basketball players in western Jamaica will get a chance to rub shoulders with rising NBA star Devin Vassell of the San Antonio Spurs as he is slated to share his skills in a much-anticipated clinic at the Herbert Morrison High School, in Montego Bay, on Monday.
The clinic, an initiative of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), forms part of the association’s broader thrust to strengthen the development of basketball in the west and rekindle interest in the sport among young players, especially at the grassroots level.
Paulton Gordon, president of JaBA, says the visit by Vassell, whose Jamaican roots include playing in local high school competitions, represents a timely boost for the sport in the region.
“We are really pleased to have Devin Vassell here to work with our young players,” Gordon told **The Gleaner**. “The clinic at Herbert Morrison is important not just because of who is coming, but because of what it represents, the commitment to re-energising basketball in Montego Bay and the wider western region.”
Gordon further noted that Herbert Morrison, with its strong basketball legacy, is the ideal location for such an event.
“This institution has produced national players and has been a powerhouse in schoolboy basketball. Hosting the clinic here reinforces the link between heritage, community, and the future of the game,” Gordon said.
Vassell, a six feet five inches shooting guard drafted 11th overall in 2020, has been steadily rising through the NBA ranks. In five seasons with the Spurs, he has averaged 14.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, shooting 44.4 per cent from the field and nearly 37 per cent from three-point range.
In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, continuing to prove himself as a key two-way player.
Gordon said Vassell’s engagement is part of JaBA’s push to bring international exposure to local players and create development pathways.
“We are trying to bring more international flavour to what’s happening in Montego Bay, so as the celebrities turn up in Jamaica, we try to ensure that they are engaged and are a part of what’s happening in the sport in the city,” Gordon added.
_\- Albert Ferguson_