NBA Star Devin Vassell Set to Inspire Jamaica’s Next Generation of Hoopers at Herbert Morrison High
Rising NBA star Devin Vassell of the San Antonio Spurs will visit Jamaica on Sunday, June 30, where he is set to headline a special basketball clinic for high school players at Herbert Morrison Technical High School in Montego Bay.
Scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the clinic will feature 30 promising players from high schools across western Jamaica. Vassell, whose father is Jamaican, will be joined by his parents and other family members on the trip, adding a personal dimension to his return to the island.
During the two-hour session, the Spurs shooting guard will donate gear and equipment to the participating athletes and schools. He will also speak briefly with the young players, sharing insights on his journey to the NBA and offering practical advice on what it takes to elevate their game to the next level.
President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), Paulton Gordon, said Vassell’s visit is part of a broader effort to reconnect players of Jamaican heritage with the local basketball ecosystem.
“The visit of Devin Vassell is really part of the broader strategy to connect the NBA players to their Jamaican roots,” Gordon explained. “As we’ve mentioned before, we are trying to ensure that both the grassroots and elite sides of basketball in Jamaica grow simultaneously.”
Gordon noted that players like Vassell are not only open to giving back but are enthusiastic about helping build the sport locally.
“These players are open to supporting what’s happening at the grassroots level,” he said. “They give back, and just speaking to young players and motivating them—telling them what is necessary to reach the next level—is hugely impactful. So we’re excited that he’s here and we’ll certainly make the best use of it.”
Vassell, who averaged a career-best 16.3 points per game during the 2024-25 NBA season, is one of several NBA players with Caribbean roots who have expressed interest in helping to grow the sport in the region. His visit follows similar initiatives by other professionals, including Amen and Ausar Thompson, who began the process of acquiring Jamaican passports earlier this year.
