The Toronto Raptors are extremely lucky to have one of the most promising point guards in the league in Fred VanVleet. Toronto’s recent regular-season success combined with a story that comes straight out of a Hollywood screenwriter’s room has helped endear VanVleet to the larger NBA media landscape.
Very few 6-0 points guards make it to the NBA, and even fewer make it out of a school like Wichita State. Fewer still join a contending team as an undrafted free agent, somehow end up becoming a star, and get anointed as the next franchise point guard following the departure of a Hall of Famer.
VanVleet can be very quotable when he wants to. He decided to show off that vivacious personality when he appeared on the “All The Smoke” Podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. In the nearly 90-minute podcast, Barnes and Jackson extracted a ton of interesting quotes out of him.
VanVleet went in-depth about his arrival in Toronto, his championship run, and playing alongside the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. These four quotes stood out as the most interesting VanVleet authored in this very revealing interview.
4 best quotes from Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet on All The Smoke
4. Insight on his pre-draft workouts.
VanVleet had a very productive college career at Wichita State, but he didn’t end up hearing his name called in the 2016 NBA Draft. VanVleet worked out for over half the league before the draft, making it even more of a gut punch when he didn’t hear his name called.
“I really was just mad at my agent,” VanVleet said “I did 18 draft workouts…the day before the draft, he’s like ‘you know you might not get drafted, right?’ And I’m like what the f*** did I just do all that for?” Luckily, VanVleet was able to land a training camp deal with Toronto.
Fred VanVleet was thankful the Toronto Raptors snatched him up.
VanVleet said that he liked that Toronto was very upfront with him about his chances when it comes to making the team. VanVleet has made “bet on yourself” a mantra to live by throughout his career, and it all started due to some false hope from his agent placing a gigantic chip on his shoulder.
VanVleet is not only one of the best players in Raptors history and far superior to a good chunk of the selections in 2016, but he’s become one of the best players the game has ever seen that came into the NBA as a UDFA.
3. Getting mentored by Kyle Lowry
VanVleet hit the jackpot when he went to a team that was being led by Kyle Lowry in his prime. Not only did Fred have a perfect mentor on the court as he tried to absorb as much information as possible, but he found someone that could help him with all of the trials and tribulations off of it.
“He was just the ultimate pro,” VanVleet said. “I learned a lot from Kyle…how to move, business things, family things, how to work out. He just thought me so much.” Without Lowry, the VanVleet Raptors fans get to see every game may never have come to fruition.
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has respect for Kyle Lowry.
VanVleet called the relationship between Lowry and DeMar DeRozan a “yin-yang” affair, with the pair’s contrasting personalities helping both keep this team prepared to win and capable of fostering a positive developmental environment.
Lowry might be in Miami right now, but it will take some time for this organization and these fans to get over his departure. Luckily, the lessons Lowry instilled in VanVleet have helped him take the next step as a player. Masai Ujiri wouldn’t have committed to him long-term if he had any doubts about his ability to lead this team.
2. Taking down Golden State in the Finals
VanVleet earned his first championship ring when he helped Toronto end the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty in six games. While Kawhi Leonard was rightfully heralded for how he helped this team overcome long odds and win it all, VanVleet credited the Raptors’ coaching staff after they devised a perfect gameplan on both sides of the ball.
“I watched a ton of film and I see where guys go wrong,” VanVleet said. “We had a great gameplan, obviously Kevin [Durant] wasn’t out there so that changes things. Now we’re really going to load up…If you can beat us by yourself, you deserve it, bro.”
Fred VanVleet knew the Toronto Raptors could win a title.
While Toronto faced Durant for all of one quarter and Klay Thompson suffered a severe knee injury late in the series, contending with Steph Curry and Draymond Green is still a handful. The Raptors did that while setting the stage for VanVleet to become a household name on the back of his shooting.
VanVleet didn’t take home the Finals MVP trophy thanks to Leonard going nuts for a large chunk of the series, but anyone who watched even a brief segment of these games saw that Fred was making a noticeable impact on those games. After years of playoff failure, VanVleet helped get Toronto over the hump.
1. His advice to young players
VanVleet was not the first player to start as an undrafted free agent before becoming a star in the NBA, and he certainly won’t be the last. Barnes and Jackson, both of whom carved out solid careers as late second-round picks, know how hard it is to stick in the NBA.
VanVleet shared that sentiment while outlining what he wants to see in a prospective player looking to make it.
“You got to be a sicko, man. “You got to be that guy people talk bad about…You got to just have this unwavering feel.” Confident and brash are two adjectives that describe VanVleet’s play on the court, and they helped make him the player that he is today.
Toronto Raptors stud Fred VanVleet values effort and hard work.
Getting to the NBA is hard enough, but improving your game once you get there is what separates players like VanVleet from some less fortunate athletes that end up crashing out of the professional ranks. VanVleet has since molded himself into an elite defender, passer, and shooter.
VanVleet is an inspiration for so many across the NBA landscape due to his meteoric rise to the top. He knows that it takes some genuine hard work and dedication to make it in this league, and he sounds like someone who wants to pave the way for more players to follow in his footsteps.