Fred VanVleet reveals secret to O.G. Anunoby’s defensive stardom

It is not a stretch to say that O.G. Anunoby has been the second-best player for the Toronto Raptors this season. Scoring 16.8 points per game on 47/40/80 shooting splits is one thing, but his defensive performance has been nothing short of spectacular and record-breaking.

Anunoby, who is tied for the fifth-best odds (per FanDuel Sportsbook) in Defensive Player of the Year voting, is averaging over three steals per game. The blend of O.G.’s newfound turnover creation and his usual elite on-ball work is making this his best season ever.

The Raptors have placed so much responsibility on Anunoby and his ability to become someone that the team can build around in their unique defensive scheme. Fred VanVleet is thrilled with what Anunoby is doing this year, saying that we’ve never seen him this motivated.

VanVleet said that Anunoby is “finally taking it personal” on the defensive side of the ball, advocating for the normally stoic and calm Anunoby to get a little meaner on that end. Fred added that O.G. can “probably steal the ball whenever he feels like it” and is at the forefront of the Defensive Player of the Year race.

O.G. Anunoby is a defensive star for the Toronto Raptors.

Anunoby has recorded multiple steals in each of his last nine games and is averaging 3.8 steals per game in November. If this average holds, he will become the first player in a decade to hit the fabled 3.0 steals per game stepping stone since the 1991 seasons. Calling this year “historically good” isn’t doing this season justice.

The Raptors rank near or in the top 10 in essentially every defensive category that matters, and they are the best in the league at forcing turnovers. Given the state of their halfcourt offense, O.G. generating steals and getting out in transition has been invaluable.

With Pascal Siakam out due to a groin problem and Precious Achiuwa scheduled to miss tons of time after tearing up his ankle, Anunoby has taken a more active role on the offensive end, averaging 21.4 points per game in November. The All-Star buzz around him is only going to get louder.

Anunoby’s defense is finally getting the respect it deserves from the larger NBA media, which is encouraging. Sustaining this level of performance over an entire season is not going to be easy, but the Raptors wouldn’t have rebuked all those trade offers in the offseason if they didn’t expect him to make this kind of turnaround.