Fred VanVleet, the quiet force of the Raptors | NBA

All-Star for the first time at 27, in his sixth NBA season, Fred VanVleet had a starry weekend that was all in all very discreet.

After his quick elimination in the 3-point shooting contest, the Raptors point guard only had 9 minutes of playing time in the All-Star Game on Sunday night. A flash passage of which the 4th player in history to be All-Star without having been drafted takes no umbrage, quite the contrary…

A flash appearance that did not displease him

“I am happy with the turn taken by my evening”, he smiled. “We won, I was able to play a little and score a few baskets. I did a bit of cardio, it was good, it suits me perfectly. “

Accustomed to marathon evenings with his team, first in the League in playing time at more than 38 minutes per game, Fred VanVleet was able to breathe a little, in the front row to fully enjoy Stephen Curry’s show and happy as a kid. Christmas morning in the locker room at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.

“Probably being in the locker room around all these guys and hearing some of the stories, and sharing some of the stories,” he explains on TSN. “It was the best time for me, just to be part of this brotherhood at the highest level. “

Author of his best season with more than 21 points and 7 assists on average (40% at 3-points), Fred VanVleet has experienced a meteoric rise since his very humble beginnings in the antechamber of the League, at 905, in going through his role as a luxury joker during the title acquired by the Raptors in 2019.

A tempered steel mind

The one who made his motto to “bet on himself” has succeeded. The point guard out of Wichita State ended up proving all the critics wrong, still keeping the same mentality.

“I just stay focused on the present moment, so I can prolong those moments and make them last as long as possible. In my life in general, I have always been able to take advantage of the opportunities that have presented themselves to me. A part [de mon succès] also comes from my preparation, and that’s the work I do upstream. But above all, you have to have the mental concentration not to climb too high or descend too low. When it works, I never get overexcited and when it doesn’t want to work, I can get out of it quickly. This is what allows me to be able to play at a high level for extended periods of time. “

At 1m85 and 89 kilos tall, Fred VanVleet has built his success on his hard work and a clean and efficient game from his point guard position. Taken under his wing by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan upon his arrival in Toronto, he was happy to be able to come full circle alongside one of his mentors this weekend in Cleveland.

“They are my big brothers. The first thing DeMar said to me was, ‘I told you so!’ From the beginning, he was by my side telling me that I could do it and this year he was one of the first to tell me that I was going to be selected to be All-Star. Sharing this moment with him, with my teammates too, but with him in particular, it was special because he was there when I started. When I came to the League, having these two guys as mentors was priceless. I could never give it back to them but every time I see them I try to show them all my respect and appreciation. They also know that if I play against them I will go attack them, but there will always be love and appreciation for them. “