Cheers and tears filled Harlandale High School on Monday afternoon when San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell surprised student-athletes with new shoes and a major donation to the school’s athletic department.
Vassell teamed up with Dick’s Sporting Goods to provide shoes for the school’s varsity basketball teams. The players could hardly wait to try them on after the surprise was revealed.
The Spurs guard also presented a $10,000 check to Harlandale’s athletic department, saying the visit was about more than basketball.
🥹🥹 I’m glad I was able to make a positive impact! Hope u guys enjoy the shoes and have a great season! GSG🖤🤍
— Devin Vassell (@Yvngdevo) October 27, 2026
Vassell said he remembers what it meant when professional athletes gave back to young players when he was in high school.
“I remember I had a guy named Zach Graham who played in the league for about a year or two. He used to have basketball camps back at my high school and he used to just give a lot of knowledge and help us out,” Vassell said. “It was just super important that he was able to do that, and I’m trying to do that to the next generation.”
For Harlandale girls basketball sophomore center Perla Valenzuela, the moment was especially meaningful. She said she has been a Spurs fan since she was 8 years old and was excited to meet one of the players she watches.
“I just feel very ecstatic. He’s one of the people that I go watch,” Valenzuela said. “I love the Spurs.”
Valenzuela said the gift also carried a deeper meaning for students and families on the South Side.
“Some of our parents can’t afford this, so getting this gift is a big thing,” she said. “Because we’re from the South Side, we’re supposed to be the poor neighborhood, so him giving back, it just inspires me to do better with my life.”
Ethan De La Rosa, a junior point guard on the boys basketball team, said he was caught off guard by the visit.
“I was shocked. I did not know that this was going to happen,” De La Rosa said. “I was not expecting to see an NBA player here at school, and to get shoes from him was a great experience.”
Vassell’s visit resonated across campus and highlighted the connection between the Spurs and the South Side, a community known for passionately supporting the team.
“I’ve been blessed in this position to be able to give back, and I feel like it’s just a calling for me and my family to be able to give back to certain communities,” Vassell said. “I want to be able to impact everybody. The game is bigger than just basketball.”
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