SAN ANTONIO - Stephon Castle didn't want to look. He knew better than to look. But it was San Antonio Spurs Media Day, and sitting at the podium, he kind of had to.
"What's up, bro?" Castle asked reluctantly, turning to his right to see Devin Vassell and Carter Bryant standing behind four rows of reporters. Vassell had his hand raised.
"Who's got more bounce?" Vassell queried. "You or Carter? And why is it Carter?"
Castle relented. He refused to give Bryant the win he was hoping for, but he answered the question before the duo eventually wandered off together : It was him.
Castle likely wasn't surprised by his teammates' shenanigans. These days, those two are always up to something; Bryant takes notes from Vassell, even on a task as trivial as bugging "the chill guy." Of course, the lessons he takes from his vet are usually far more substantial.
"He's been amazing," Bryant said Wednesday of his relationship with Vassell. "I'm just going to keep learning from him. He's willing to teach me and I'm here to learn from him."
Sep 28, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) and forward Carter Bryant (11) pose for photos during Media Day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A season ago, Bryant landed in San Antonio after he was drafted with the No. 14 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. His defensive capabilities were clear, and his offensive prowess proved promising - the only thing missing was time, experience and confidence.
Trudging through weeks of self-reflection and even self-doubt to begin his professional career, Bryant returned home most nights wondering if his hard work was paying off.
The rookie committed to soaking up all he could from the players around him in an attempt to emulate their success. His favorite pastime became watching Vassell put shots up after practice . Now a year later, Bryant's days as a fly on the wall have earned him a reputation.
"He's a gym rat," Vassell said. "Every time I come in here, he's in the gym. He's always learning. He's always asking coaches questions ... I think he can have a really good year."
Vassell is entering his seventh season himself. It's a reality that hits him most when his younger teammates - most of all Bryant - call him "Unc." But while he rejects the moniker, he's fully embracing a leadership role for a squad fresh off an NBA Finals berth.
It's the least he can do for those teammates who have only ever experienced winning.
"They're lucky, right?" Vassell quipped before turning serious. "I (do) feel like I have that demeanor. I've been here for 7 years. I understand that. I've been around some good vets."
Long before Vassell led the Spurs in postseason minutes across 23 starts as perhaps their most consistent piece, he had to find himself on a team destined to dwell near the bottom of the Western Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge , Rudy Gay and Patty Mills helped put him on the right path during his rookie season in 2020-21.
Vassell sees some similarities in Bryant, who logged just under 10 minutes per game in the playoffs and took only 44 shots. The shooting guard feels Bryant is properly oriented.
"He has a lot of upside," Vassell said. "He just needs to understand (that) playing simple, playing the right way, will get you a long way. I'm going to try and keep him under my wing."
Sep 28, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) poses for photos during Media Day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Both Bryant and Vassell have spent plenty of time living with their sorrows. Vassell, who had the arduous task of facing the media immediately after Game 5 of the NBA Finals, began his process on his walk to the car. Bryant spent a little more time pondering "What if?"
"New York did the right things," he explained. "They kept at it, and that's what good teams do. They just persevere and keep going ... and they came out on top. I think I've watched every single game we played in the Finals back at least 15 times each."
While most of his first trip to the playoffs was spent watching from the bench, Bryant can't help but think about how he can help the Spurs should they make their hopeful return. His impact may look different than Vassell, but he hopes to be equally relied upon.
"I want to be a matchup nightmare," he said. "One through five, being able to guard multiple positions, contest shots at the rim, be a rim protector (and) ... make life hard for anybody."
Bryant also has dreams of being the best basketball player in the world. Taking a page from his mentor's book, he plans to spend his second year slowly. All in due time, he says.
"Maybe one day we'll look up in 8 or 9 years and I'll be in those conversations," Bryant said, "but as of right now, I'm just trying to win basketball games ... that's how I'm going to get to that point one day. (By) understanding what I can provide for this team."
Each in their own ways, Vassell and Bryant will prove crucial to the Spurs' quest for prolonged success. Perhaps the biggest thing Vassell has to offer Bryant is a mindset shift he feels the entire locker room should adopt: they're not owed a single thing.
"We're not guaranteed a No. 1 seed," Vassell said. "We're not guaranteed to be in the playoffs. We're not guaranteed any of this stuff ... and we didn't win anything. So, at the end of the day, nobody's satisfied. We're just ready to get this thing back rolling."
Like everything else, Bryant will take notes. As his role expands with time, he'll grow more certain of the work he's put in. But there's one thing he's already certain of:
He wouldn't trade his vet for anybody. Bryant is perfectly happy under Vassell's wing.
"I love Dev," Bryant said. "He became my favorite player in the NBA after last year ... I hit him after the season and told him I have so much respect for him. If he was on any other team, he'd be a 20-to-25-points-a-night guy. Easily. He's so skilled, so talented."
"The sacrifices he took for us to make that next step as a team (are) amazing," he added.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/spurs/onsi as Devin Vassell Has Taken a Spur Under His Wing. Why Carter Bryant Is Glad It's Him .
