San Antonio Spurs wing Devin Vassell will play his first game of 2026. The organization's injury report, released a day ahead of a contest against the New Orleans Pelicans, did not include the Florida State alum. It echoes what Vassell said following the team's practice earlier in the day.
“I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go,” Vassell repeated. “I'm excited.”
The game against New Orleans will mark his first action since a December 29 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, after which he was diagnosed with a left adductor strain.
“There's nothing like playing, being in the heat in the moment with your guys, going through battles,” Vassell said. “So, I'm excited to be back.”
"I'm ready to go…
Yes, for sure, for sure (on whether he'll play tomorrow)."
-Devin Vassell tells @tom_orsborn that he's playing vs. the Pelicans. Tom has since reported the #Spurs confirm Dev won't be on the next injury report#PorVida #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/9OuVB30G4p
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 24, 2026
Upon a follow-up question, in which he was directly asked if he's definitely going to play against the Pelicans, Vassell didn't hesitate.
“Yeah, for sure,” Vassell said. “For sure.”
In 32 games this season, the second-longest-tenured Spur is averaging 15 points, four rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 32 minutes per contest.
Devin Vassell opens up about time away from the Spurs
As may be assumed, it wasn't easy for Vassell to sit and watch his team battle as one of the best in the NBA.
“Injuries are injuries, man, and they suck,” Vassell said. “I wanted to pretty much play every game, but when an injury like that happens, and how the season has been and stuff like that with an injury like that, take your time, try to get back.
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“Good rehab. I've been getting some good workouts in with my guys, and I just feel good.”
Before the injury, Vassell was enjoying the healthiest season of his career. He missed 18 games last year, including the last couple of weeks. He played 68 games the year before and just 38 in 2022-2023. The 2021-22 campaign is the only one in which the Suwanee, Georgia native has played more than 70 games at 71.
“I'm right back. Right back like I never left,” Vassell added. “The team is doing good. When you're not playing, you try to sit there and be engaged as much as you can, talking to them, talking to them through timeouts and stuff like that.
The 11th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Vassell expects to face a minutes restriction upon his return. Famously cautious with injuries for the better part of two decades, the Spurs continue that practice with Victor Wembanyama as well as players who aren't part of their rotation.
“I don't know what the minutes are going to look like, but I'm just excited to be back out there,” Vassell said. “I'm good to go.”
San Antonio went 8-5 in the games Vassell missed. Though not indicative of their best ball, it's kept them second in the Western Conference.
“That's a testament to the depth that we have on this team and the trust that we have in all our guys,” Vassell concluded. “We have a bunch of people out this year, and we've always been able to bounce back and honestly still excel. It's huge.”
That's how you could describe Vassell's return for a Spurs team that continues to compete with the NBA's best.