One of the most appealing narratives in sports is the ascension of the underdog. It is human nature to feel a kinship with a person, team or storyline that is immediately identifiable. Most basketball fans are not physically imposing, and have not been destined for a lucrative career since their childhood days. They had to work at every level in order to get ahead, make a living, and advance. People relate to those stories of perseverance, dedication and triumph.
Those endearing elements are part of the story of Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet. He didn’t exactly fit the prototype of a player who was going to dominate basketball games at every level. There were no God-given athletic abilities bestowed on VanVleet that would bail him out when he didn’t have his shot falling on a particular night. He would have to be in the right place at the right time, play tougher than his opponents, and use his intelligence to help gain an advantage.
He’s come a long way in a short time, and Fred Van Vleet’s net worth is reflective of that. He is now one of the top players in the NBA, who has a reputation for playing well in big games. He has an NBA championship ring to prove it, and might still capture a few more titles since he is in the prime of his NBA career.
Fred VanVleet – Childhood
On February 25, 1994, Fredderick Edmund VanVleet’s story began in Rockford, Illinois. He was born to parents Susan VanVleet and Joe Danforth, and has three brothers and two sisters. Danforth was his stepfather, as VanVleet’s biological dad was killed when Fred was five years old. As it turned out, he would be arguably the biggest reason why VanVleet would experience the success he has in his life.
Rockford is one of the roughest neighborhoods in Illinois, and in the United States. There was a lot of violence, drug abuse and crime. The young boy did not have to look far to see what could become of him, as his biological father and eighth grade basketball teammate both had their lives ended prematurely due to gun violence. Danforth had seen all of it all too often. He was a police offer in the neighborhood for several years, and knew what type of negative influences could derail promising individuals. He knew that if he was going to keep people off of the streets and on the right track, he would have to take some unpopular stances.
That is exactly what Danforth did with Van Vleet. He knew that sacrificing VanVleet’s childhood years would be difficult for the boy to endure, but it would set him up very well for his life outside of Rockford. Danforth used to wake VanVleet up before the sun came up and had him run stairs. He would also shoot around during the early hours of the morning, and used to practice dribbling with a volleyball. After these extensive physical drills, VanVleet would get cleaned up, and Danforth would drive him to school.
VanVleet also played football in Rockford until he was in eighth grade. He wasn’t the fastest, strongest, or most physically imposing player, but he was known for being around the ball and making an impact. This streamlined focus on the athletic world would keep VanVleet out of trouble, just as Danforth had hoped.
Fred VanVleet – High School
Fred VanVleet would continue to need to live his life with his future goals in mind, even as he got to high school. It was not uncommon for students to bring weapons inside the building, or get beaten up during lunchtime if they decided to eat off campus.
With the potential for disaster swirling around him, the budding athlete would take the long way to relevance in the school sports scene. He walked on to the varsity team as a freshman, and it was quite a longshot that he was going to see any meaningful action. However, VanVleet kept on working, and got the chance to start that very same season.
He was the clear-cut favorite to start at point guard as a sophomore, and VanVleet played well. However, he needed to learn how to be a leader while communicating effectively with teammates. VanVleet had been pushing so hard all of his life to get to where he was, and he got frustrated when other players did not seem to take things as seriously as he was. He would understand that he had to find a way to motivate other people without alienating them.
It was a pivotal turning point for VanVleet. Since that point in time, his teammates decided to rally around him, and Fred was playing the best basketball of his life. He averaged nearly 18 points per game, five rebounds and eight assists, with an eye opening 4.8 steals. As a senior, VanVleet helped lead Auburn to a Class 4A State Finals appearance, and was named an all-state performer.
In addition to his magnificent play in high school, VanVleet would also make a name for himself on the AAU circuit as well. He would play for the PrymeTyme Ballers, who went 54-8 in games VanVleet played.
Fred VanVleet – College Basketball
Despite the progress Fred VanVleet had made throughout his high school career, big time college basketball programs were not exactly lined up to recruit him. Considering where he grew up, it would have made sense for one of the Big 10 schools to take a look at him in hopes of bringing him to their campus.
However, there was one school that displayed interest in VanVleet, who he remained committed to even when some of the larger schools belatedly started to sniff around. Wichita State University had a feeling that VanVleet would be a great addition to their program, and the Auburn high school student was excited to become a Shocker when the 2012-2013 college basketball season rolled around.
Little did he know, VanVleet would be in for the Cinderella ride of a lifetime, even as a freshman. The Shockers had senior guards that had earned the trust of head coach Gregg Marshall, but the staff still found time to give the Rockford product a chance to get his feet wet.
The Shockers had a really good season in the Missouri Valley Conference, and were able to make the NCAA Tournament as an at large team despite not winning their conference tournament. As a ninth seeded mid major school, no one believed Wichita State would end up doing anything notable in the NCAA Tournament. It turned out that the team, bolstered by a tremendous defensive intensity and toughness, dispatched of some of the favorites that March. Gonzaga and Ohio State went down, and Louisville nearly lost to the Shockers in the Final Four. In the Elite Eight and Final Four, VanVleet got a lot of minutes, and made the game sealing three pointer against Gonzaga.
Conventional wisdom suggested that there was no way the Shockers could have that magical of a season again in 2013-2014. They had lost a couple of seniors from the year before, and the college basketball landscape would no longer take Wichita State lightly. However, they came back better than ever, and Fred VanVleet was a primary reason why. The experiences he had growing up, the evolution of his ability to motivate and inspire, and his central focus on winning all combined into a masterful approach that the point guard used to lead the Shockers to an undefeated regular season. Critics on the outside would try to poke holes in Wichita State’s accomplishment, but VanVleet’s skin was too thick to be affected by that, and did not let his teammates worry about it either.
The Shockers made it through the Missouri Valley Conference unscathed, and were still without a loss heading into the NCAA Tournament. Their run would only last two games, as they tussled with a University of Kentucky team that had notable future professionals like Julius Randle and Willie Cauley-Stein. VanVleet gave it his all, but the Shockers ended up going down by two points.
The Shockers still had strong teams in VanVleet’s junior and senior seasons, and had formed an elite, nationally respected backcourt with shooting guard Ron Baker. The team did not quite make it as deep into the postseason as they did when VanVleet was an underclassman, but he was putting together one of the most impressive careers in school history. He would leave the program as the all-time leader in steals and assists, and would win the Missouri Valley Conference Player Of The Year award twice, as a sophomore and a senior.
Fred VanVleet – Toronto Raptors Early Career
The full body of Fred VanVleet’s college career was inspiring, and once his time on campus ended, he was sure he would be able to continue playing basketball at the highest level. Ultimately, he wasn’t wrong about that feeling, but the journey he would take to get there would not be what he originally anticipated. It was nothing new for VanVleet, who had been doing things the hard way his entire life.
The former Missouri Valley Conference star had a few people over at his home during the 2016 NBA Draft, thinking that his name was likely to be called at some point. The second round had come and gone, and he was not selected by any team. It was disappointing, but VanVleet had to take any opening he could get, and work to achieve his dream.
The Toronto Raptors extended an olive branch to VanVleet in the form of a summer league contract. Hungry and eager to make an impression, he accepted the invitation. This led to an offer for VanVleet to play for the Raptors developmental team in 2016, so he could continue to get a consistent opportunity to get on the floor and work on his game.
It would be a formative experience for him, and one that would be a stepping stone for the rest of his career. Ironically, Toronto had stashed another player by the name of Pascal Siakam on that roster as well, and two future pillars of the NBA teams success would build their way up together. VanVleet was tremendous, averaging nearly 17 points per game and over seven assists per contest over the D League regular season. VanVleet and Siakam would continue to shine in the postseason, and led the Raptors to the NBA D League Championship in 2017.
While this was taking place, he would also appear in 37 games for the big club. He did not have a large role on the team, but he was inching his way closer towards relevancy.
In 2017-2018, he would be a part of head coach Dwayne Casey’s rotation, suiting up for 76 games while averaging 20 minutes per night. VanVleet wasn’t lighting it up exactly, but he was a reliable reserve who would come in and contribute responsibly while taking care of the basketball.
Fred VanVleet – NBA Championship
The team would hire Nick Nurse as their head coach ahead of the 2018-2019 season, and would acquire star forward Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs. It was uncertain how everything would come together, or if it would, but Toronto all of a sudden became a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
Most teams would not have gone the route of playing two smaller guards together for long stretches, but Nurse was not afraid to let VanVleet and Kyle Lowry figure things out in the backcourt. The former Wichita State player really found his footing in the NBA, and was a key lynchpin to the secondary contributions the team would need to make a run.
Fortunately for the Raptors and their emerging guard, they had a roster deep enough to withstand bad games from certain players. VanVleet had a difficult time getting anything going in the first two rounds of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, and it was fair to wonder whether Nurse would elect to go away from him in the Eastern Conference Finals.
He had some personal things on his mind, as his second child was about to be born. Fred VanVleet Jr. was born into the world in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals, and suddenly, things changed for his father. The Raptors guard made 10 three points in the last two games of the series, to help propel Toronto to the NBA Finals.
VanVleet proved to be an integral player in the NBA Finals, as the Raptors felt confident switching assignments on the perimeter, and playing another guard whose scoring confidence was sky high. Just like he had shown for his entire life, no moment was ever too big, and he performed extremely well on basketball’s biggest stage. He was a main reason why Toronto won the NBA championship in 2019.
Fred VanVleet – Toronto Raptors Post Title
The 6’1″ guard would have to assume more of the scoring in the following season, as Leonard decided to take his talents west to play for the Los Angeles Clippers. VanVleet would respond by averaging over 17 points per game, and spearheading another deep playoff run that would end in the second round of a playoffs held in the NBA Bubble.
Based on his continued clutch play, and age, the Raptors decided to make him a cornerstone of their franchise for years to come. Fred VanVleet’s net worth increased exponentially, as he would sign a contract that was the largest in NBA history for an undrafted player. With a four-year $85 million agreement, the guard would continue to star in Canada for many years.
A lot of the faces from the title year have changed, but VanVleet remains one of the veteran holdovers. He continues to deliver in a big way, and was named to his first All-Star team in 2021-2022.
Fred VanVleet – NBA Future
At 28 years old, Fred Van Vleet still has a lot of room to add to his legacy. The Raptors have a promising group of players around him, such as 2021-2022 Rookie Of The Year Scottie Barnes. The Eastern Conference has become much more competitive than it had been in previous years, but VanVleet’s championship experience will make Toronto a tough out in any playoff series they are a part of.
Does Fred VanVleet have a ring?
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has accomplished what many others have not yet achieved in their careers. He won an NBA title with the team during the 2018-2019 campaign. His play steadily improved during his career up until that point, and even during the playoffs that season.
After the birth of his son during the Eastern Conference Finals, VanVleet’s scoring jumped up, and he was playing a large compliment of minutes during the sport’s biggest games. This was actually not the first championship he won with the Raptors organization. VanVleet won a title with Toronto’s development team as well before he was elevated to the NBA roster.
How much does VanVleet get paid?
After his ascension as one of the most valuable players on the Toronto Raptors, Fred VanVleet was handsomely rewarded by the organization. Before the 2020-2021 season, the front office gave him a four year $85 million extension. This was a historic moment, because it was the largest contract ever given to an undrafted player.
VanVleet became a full time starter for the team the year after they won the title, and he did not disappoint. He would average 17 points, six assists and nearly four rebounds per game. He will make $21,250,000 for the 2022-2023 NBA season, and will likely opt into his player option for nearly $23 million the following season.
When did Fred VanVleet go to college?
Fred VanVleet has always been an underdog, and his basketball journey has not been paved with lucrative opportunities at every turn. He went to college at Wichita State University, which was one of the few colleges who was interested in him coming out of Rockford, Illinois.
VanVleet would go on to have a marvelous career with the Shockers, and made an impact for his entire college career. He proved that he wasn’t afraid of the big moments, and played well as a freshman in the NCAA Tournament. He also spearheaded a dominant season for the program when he was a sophomore.
