In the several years that Fred VanVleet has spent on the Toronto Raptors, his potential has been obvious.
For every skill he lacks, the six-foot point guard makes up for it tenfold in effort and a steadiness that’s been present in his game since his rookie year.
Initially, VanVleet's size made it seem that there was a cap to his potential as a floor general. His drives to the rim were met with authoritative blocks, his head-down drives and issues building a connection with the big men rolling alongside him left viewers wondering whether he was a true point guard, or simply an undersized shooting guard.