“I just want to celebrate what I’ve been through, man!”: Fred VanVleet has now become the face of Raptors, despite facing disappointment in a 2016 draft party

Toronto Raptors’ star Fred VanVleet has a story that could inspire not only basketball players but generations of athletes.

From going undrafted in the 2016 Drafts to becoming one of the best point guards in the league this season, Fred VanVleet is proving that passing on him was a big mistake by the NBA teams.

After becoming the most sought-after free-agent guard this off-season, VanVleet signed a new 4 year, $85 million contract with the Raptors becoming the highest-paid undrafted player in NBA history.

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Kyle Lowry, arguably the greatest player in the Raptors’ franchise history, handed over the reins to Fred this off-season when he got traded to the Miami Heat.

At the start of the 2021-22 season, everyone again counted the Toronto-based team out of contention without a veteran leader. Similar to what they did after Kawhi Leonard left, following their 2019 championship run. But the 27-year-old guard has stepped up to make the Raptors the 7th best team in the East as we speak.

Fred VanVleet’s struggle from going undrafted to leading a team to Playoffs contention

One could count all the undrafted players in the NBA’s history and there wouldn’t be more players than you could count in the fingers of your palms who became an All-Star. Fred might achieve that in his 6th season in the league. But it all started after a party that the 6’1 point guard from Wichita State University held for his Draft night.

After tryouts with 18 different teams in 30 days before the NBA Drafts in 2016, VanVleet went undrafted. But growing up a Kobe Bryant fan, having the toughest of mentalities, he didn’t allow himself to bow down to the situation.

He got to sign with the Raptors the same year, played with their G-league affiliate, proved himself there, and made it to the NBA team just half a season in. He then helped them win an NBA championship in 2019. Now he leads that franchise and surely looks like the face of it for years to come.

Also read: “Fred VanVleet has scored 30+ points in 6 of his last 8 games”: Raptors guard puts foot on accelerator as All-Star Weekend approaches, averaging 31/5/8 on 47/46/97 shooting

The Toronto Raptors currently stand at 20-17 record, amid a 6-0 winning streak. Fred has been majorly responsible for most of those wins averaging 31.2-points, 6.7-assists, and 4.6 rebounds, with 5.8 threes per game on 47/44/96 shooting.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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