On Wednesday night, Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors walked into a game rife with standings implications, taking on a playoff team in the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite the weight of the game, Toronto came out flat to start, lacking the spark needed to best a Minnesota team desperate to avoid a play-in position.
The Raps needed someone to disrupt the rhythm and recapture the momentum of the night. Enter VanVleet, the most underrated All-Defensive candidate of the 2022 NBA season.
VanVleet put on a defensive masterclass. Grabbing four steals and adding two blocks, the undersized, undrafted, overachieving All-Star made the Timberwolves uncomfortable with the ball by forcing ball-handlers to repeatedly pick up their dribble and second-guess their passing lanes. He followed that up with more dominance against Orlando.
Those with limited exposure to the Raptors will likely see this as an uncharacteristic showing from a player who stands just 6-0 on a good day. However, the stats tell a different story, showing he is worthy of being an All-Defensive team member.
Fred VanVleet over the last 2 games: 13 deflections, 9 steals, 4 blocks.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) April 2, 2022
Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet deserves to make All-Defense.
ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry broke down the newest NBA advanced metrics to determine who belongs in the All-NBA Defensive conversation. Wouldn’t you know it, Fred VanVleet makes an appearance.
Goldsberry makes note of many non-box score stats that paint a more fulsome picture of VanVleet’s defensive efforts than what viewers and fans may perceive. While VanVleet is averaging roughly 1.6 steals per game, he’s generating 3.0 turnovers per game this season, which places him at the top of the league.
Only 20 percent of VanVleet’s forced turnovers are considered actual ‘steals’ for the Raptors point guard. This includes things like offensive fouls drawn and forcing balls out of bounds.
His constant pressure, which was on full display against Minnesota, forces players into bad decisions even if the ball doesn’t end up directly in VanVleet’s hands as a result. This pressure can be seen in his on-ball percentage. VanVleet guards the opposing ball handler 30 percent of defensive game time, putting him eighth in the league.
Fred VanVleet has been #1 or #2 in deflections per game each of the last 3 yrs. Tied for 5th in steals per game. Top 5 in that in each of the last 3 yrs. One of the best on-ball & off-ball perimeter defenders in the NBA. One of the best help defenders. He needs to be All-Defense.
— TooMuchHoops (Brad) (@Too_Much_Hoops) April 2, 2022
Last year, VanVleet earned a few second-team votes despite the fact he missed time due to injury and played on a team that was relegated to the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference. This year, Toronto’s record and his All-Star appearance could help turn some voters’ heads.
VanVleet is the forced-turnover leader of the NBA and a case study on the value of skill and work ethic over physical gifts. Raptors players are regularly overlooked for regular season accolades, so it remains to be seen whether VanVleet will be recognized for his game. Will he be an All-Defensive nominee? Not sure. Does he deserve it? No question.