The following weekend’s Slam Dunk Contest might not have been among his plans, but make no mistake about it: Devin Vassell’s early-year dunk reel stood among the elites nonetheless in 2024-25. Synchronizing his pick-and-roll attack to match the quickly-draining end-of-quarter clock, Vassell glides through heavy traffic as if he were late for work. Splitting right through the middle of two mint-green jerseys, Vassell finishes the sequence with power, contorting mid-flight to deliver a one-handed tomahawk over Miles Bridges’ last-ditch contest. The Charlotte Hornets — thanks to a game-winning corner-pocket triple from its aforementioned star — would enjoy the last laugh during February 7, 2025’s back-and-forth affair against the San Antonio Spurs. Even so, Vassell joined the long line of must-see players, turning in 15 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, four 3-pointers, and, miraculously, a game-high +19 plus-minus in 34 minutes of action. · Feb 8, 2025