Fred VanVleet It’s been a long time since he became a player with a certain name in the NBA. His role as a plunger in the 2018 Finals helped the Toronto Raptors lift their first ever title against the then favorites Warriors. It was the element of surprise of the champions and a player who suddenly appeared on the radar of an NBA that until then had ignored him. As has almost always happened on a basketball court.
The Illinois Player Story (1.83; 26 to) It could well serve to inspire the script of any after-dinner TV movie as it perfectly fulfills the role of Cinderella who finally becomes queen of the dance thanks to faith … and tireless work to convince skeptics that there was a place in the elite reserved for him.
VanVleet never had it easy. His childhood was marked by drugs and violence that roamed the streets of Rockford, Illinois. Two elements that caused the death of his father Fred Manning, a legend on the street courts, who was killed by a local dealer in a shootout when they were in the middle of a drug exchange. The current Raptors player was barely five years old: “I saw my mother and my brothers crying in the basement at home and I didn’t understand anything.”
That completely broke the world of VanVleet, who soon was left without a paternal reference to follow. However, as in any good story, there is always a guardian angel who shows the hero the way. This time it’s about his stepfather Joe Danforth. A veteran police officer who soon taught little Fred the value of work and the commitment to improve every day.
I saw my mother and my brothers crying in the basement of the house and I didn’t understand anything. “
Fred VanVleet when he learned of his father’s murder
Danforth subjected VanVleet to endless work sessions and he did not hesitate to wake up a 10-year-old at 4 a.m. out of bed to put on his boots and start workouts that ranged from the kindest (shooting to basket) endless sessions in a park near his house, going up and down stairs. “I hated him. I hated him since he showed up at home and he made me keep my room tidy, wash the dishes … I hated him for a long time,” Fred said years later.
What Fred didn’t realize was that this endless work would end up paying off. Although none of them were going to be easy to collect. VanVleet entered high school and soon took over the starting job at Auburn High School from where he was going to destroy all the records in the city. However, their numbers barely caught the attention of the universities in their state.
This is how the hottest player of the NBA night cools
It had to be Wichita State that offered him the only chance to shine in college basketball. And he did it by becoming the Historical leader in steals and assists for a team that in 2014 will achieve the grudge of finishing the season without losing a single game with a 35-0 mark. An impressive figure that did not attract the attention of the NBA.
The 30 franchises in the league ‘passed’ VanVleet in the 2016 draft and just an offer from the Raptors to be part of their linked team of the G League opened the doors of the NBA. VanVleet put his overalls back on and led the Raptors 905 to their first title while earning a spot on the Canadian franchise’s main roster.
Fred VanVleets 11 threes tonight are the most ever made in a game by an undrafted player. The previous record was 10 by Duncan Robinson and Wesley Matthews. @EliasSportspic.twitter.com/ZdIuC8hELE
? NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) February 3, 2021
Since then, the Illinois player has not stopped knocking down marks in his wake. He became an NBA champion being a fundamental part of the ring, he signed Highest contract ever signed by an undrafted player (four years, $ 85 million) and against the Magic he became league history thanks to his 54 points and 11 triples.
With these VanVleet figures Super the 53 points of a legend like Moses Malone (Also achieved on February 2) as the highest score by an undrafted player in NBA history. Your brand also means the highest scoring in Raptors history and becomes the first player to sign more than 50 points with more than 10 triples and more than 70% accuracy in field goals. Some numbers that are already part of the history of a league that once ignored his talent.
Fred VanVleet (11-14 3PM) becomes the third player in @NBAHistory to make 11+ threes in a game on 75% shooting or better from beyond the arc, joining Stephen Curry and Zach LaVine. pic.twitter.com/NGgMAujOpw
? NBA History (@NBAHistory) February 3, 2021
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