SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio drafted Florida State guard Devin Vassell with the No. 11 pick Wednesday night in the NBA draft.
A 6-foot-6 guard who spent two years with the Seminoles, Vassell averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists last season. He shot 41% on 3-pointers with Florida State.
It was the highest San Antonio has drafted since selecting Tim Duncan with No. 1 pick in 1997.
Vassell joins a roster that has transformed from one that relied heavily on veterans for two decades to a team that is counting on its young players to turn its fortunes around.
San Antonio failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1997, the season prior to drafting Duncan. His selection ushered in a run of 22 straight postseason appearances for the Spurs that is tied with the 76ers' franchise for the longest postseason run in league history.
The Spurs have made it clear that the team is centered around guards Derrick White, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV and forward Keldon Johnson. The quartet led San Antonio to a 5-3 record during the restart, finishing 1 1/2 games behind Portland for eighth in the Western Conference.