One Drake lyric for every player on the Toronto Raptors

By Lior Kozai | Sep 3, 2019

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 17: Rapper, Drake makes an announcement during the Toronto Raptors Championship Victory Parade on June 17, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /

10 of 12

Photo by Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images /

Fred VanVleet

"“Point the biggest skeptic out, I’ll make him a believer” (Over)"

Fred VanVleet has practically made a career out of proving skeptics wrong. He did it at Wichita State, where his Shockers wildly overachieved year after year. (And, I mean, could there be a more fitting name than “Shockers” for a team led by VanVleet?) He did it again in earning an NBA contract despite going undrafted in 2016.

And when he struggled and lost the faith of just about every NBA fan and media member (including this writer) through two playoff rounds, VanVleet drew skepticism yet again. But he came through, again, with monster performances in the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals, followed by an even better showing in the NBA Finals.

VanVleet guarded Steph Curry just about as well as anyone can. He hit timely shots on the other end. By the end of the Finals, he was earning widespread praise from the mainstream media, including one of the biggest honours of all: A vote for Finals MVP, which otherwise would’ve been a unanimous selection of Kawhi Leonard.

When next season starts, VanVleet will probably have bad shooting nights or overdribble here and there, and he’ll earn criticism. Keep the faith in him to bounce back, because nothing motivates him more than proving his critics wrong.

Home/Raptors News