“Fred VanVleet has taken Kyle Lowry’s spot now”: Jonas Valanciunas lauds the Raptors guard for his All-Star level production and hilariously compares him to the Heat star

Jonas Valanciunas says that Fred VanVleet has taken Kyle Lowry’s place on the Toronto Raptors as the captain of that team. 

Despite having fallen off from championship contention fairly quick following their 2019 NBA Finals run, the Toronto Raptors have a bevy of promising pieces on their roster. Fred VanVleet is just one of several of players up North that Masai Ujiri and company should be proud of having found. 

Fred VanVleet has been playing like a bonafide All-Star this 2022 NBA season and it’s looking more and more likely each day that he’ll get that recognition this year for the time in his career. Given that he was under the tutelage of Kyle Lowry for 3 straight seasons, it makes sense as to how the undrafted guard has had a gradual accent into stardom.

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‘Freddy’ has been averaging 21.7 points and 6.8 assists while shooting40.5% from beyond the arc. His efficiency from within the arc hasn’t been all too great but the way he’s developed his game on both ends of the floor has truly been remarkable. 

Jonas Valanciunas vouches for Fred VanVleet and his stellar play. 

Jonas Valanciunas played with Fred VanVleet on the Toronto Raptors for about two and a half years before getting traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for Marc Gasol. The now Pelicans big-man took to his postgame availability to praise VanVleet while also letting out a sarcastic, subtle dish towards his former teammate, Kyle Lowry. 

“He [Fred] took Kyle Lowry’s spot now. Captain, Court captain. I think he’s playing at an All-Star level, he’s proved that he can be a leader, on and off the court; vocal leader. I remember him on the Raptors, he started to become a vocal leader.” 

Asked JV about Fred VanVleet playing at an all-star level:

“Man, he took Kyle Lowry’s spot now.” pic.twitter.com/OA4BdOHf0V

— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) January 10, 2022

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Safe to say that Fred VanVleet not making the 2022 All-Star team would be undoubtedly be a snub.