G League Alum Fred VanVleet Just Made NBA History (As If Being A Champ Wasn't Enough)
Fred VanVleet's career has continued to take off since he first donned a G League jersey, and now he's etched his name in the NBA and Raptors' record books.
While riding the bench in Toronto (averaging 7.9 minutes through 37 contests), Fred VanVleet made the most out of an otherwise uneventful rookie campaign, turning up on a minor league assignment to help the Raptors 905 win the NBA G League championship in 2017.
Call it preparation.
He averaged 22 points in the G League Finals that year, and before you knew it, the fiery offensive spark was doing similar things on the NBA stage just two years later. In addition to scoring a familiar 22 points in the decisive Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals to help the Raptors win it all, VanVleet also set a Finals record for three-point field goals off the bench with 16.
As VanVleet has continued to soar, he’s proven that being a dual champion isn’t quite satisfying enough. As a historic performance on Tuesday night further cemented, clearly he has an affinity for the record books.
The 26 year old NBA G League alum set a Raptors record with 54 points in his team’s win over the Magic. Tallying the most points by an undrafted player in NBA history, it was the kind of performance that resonates and should spark hope for the players (many G League athletes, notably) that hope to follow in his footsteps and achieve similar greatness.
Here’s an even better look at why VanVleet’s performance was so special:
VanVleet is the only undrafted player to hold a franchise’s single-game scoring record (via Overtime).
He set the record for most three-point field goals (11) in a game by an undrafted player in NBA history (via NBA).
He’s the first player in NBA history with 50+ points and 10 three-point field goals on a 70/70 shooting clip in a game (via StatMuse).
His True Shooting Percentage at 100.1% is the highest in NBA history by a player in a 50 point game (via Basketball Reference).
His eight first half three-point field goals were the most in any half of a regular season game by a player in Raptors history (via NBA).
Each record-shattering accomplishment appears even more clutch than the last, and that’s just par for the course when it comes to VanVleet. He’s a winner, someone who thrives when the pressure is on, and clearly isn’t content simply celebrating whatever his last achievement was.
VanVleet’s an unique kind of talent. He clearly plays with emotion and wears his heart on his sleeve. He pours everything he’s got into the game. Fortunately enough, he knows how to channel that same level of passion in the right direction. It helps him attack challenges head on. Toronto first began to see that when he donned a Raptors 905 jersey.
This past offseason, VanVleet was a highly coveted player on the free agent market and cashed in. His reported $85 million, multi-year contract is the most lucrative (in total value, according to ESPN) for an undrafted player in NBA history. It should come as no surprise that he isn’t taking it easy, merely basking in the glory of cashing well-earned checks. This season, the guard boasts a stat-line of 20.4 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per contest.
Recognized as a perennial championship contender in recent years, the Raptors have suffered departures of many key pieces over the last two offseason periods. Nevertheless, the development atmosphere is steady and players have been known to rise up and perform after patiently waiting.
Should Toronto make the widely expected surge toward the postseason yet again, it won’t be surprising to see VanVleet helping lead the way.
Undrafted prospect. G League champion. NBA champion. VanVleet continues to take impressive steps forward and now he’s inching even closer to star territory.