Raptors midseason awards: Which players have stood out?

MVP: Fred VanVleet

VanVleet has moved from a potential All-Star to someone that should be such a lock for the All-Star Game that the event would lose credibility if he is not named as a finalist. VanVleet has carried this team at times, as the lack of a credible backup has forced him to do superhuman things in order to make sure Toronto pulls out wins late.

VanVleet is averaging 21.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game this year. the advanced stats paint an even rosier picture, as Toronto is scoring 16.1 more points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor. However, his biggest contribution is impossible to measure in the box score.

Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet has been dominant this season.

VanVleet was tasked with replacing Kyle Lowry both on and off the floor as the leader of this team. Could VanVleet command the same respect and earn the same leadership quotient Lowry had? The early returns certainly are promising.

VanVleet has received a stern challenge for this award from Pascal Siakam considering he is playing at an All-Star level, but his consistency and clutch shooting put the Wichita State product at the top of these rankings. The Raptors will only go as far as VanVleet takes them.