Fred VanVleet’s level of self-awareness is off the charts.
He knows what he was, he knows what he is, he knows what he has to be for the Raptors to maintain their place in the upper echelon of the NBA.
His progression to this point, as a player and a man, has been one of the great stories of the franchise over the past four years. The 26-year-old guard has had a well-documented journey from undrafted prospect to vital contributor on a championship team.
He is an above-average defender, one of the smartest players on the court in any game he plays, and can be a deadly three-point shooter.