With his NBA career burgeoning, Fred VanVleet keeps his Shocker roots

Wichita State fans tuned into the NBA this season have been seeing a lot more of a familiar name lately.

Fred VanVleet is playing more with the Toronto Raptors and the undrafted second-year player is beginning to make an impression with his NBA team. The former WSU star is averaging nearly 16 minutes and is averaging 5.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as Toronto’s second-unit point guard.

He even has his own brand with a sleek logo that sells merchandise with his popular catch phrase: “Bet on yourself.”

“I’m still a Shocker for life and that’s never going to change,” VanVleet said in a phone interview. “Obviously I still miss playing in Koch Arena. There’s a lot of special things about that place and I’ll remember those forever.”

VanVleet said he still catches games whenever he can and still feels a special attachment to this team, which has seven players he played with at Wichita State.

But that’s not all he misses about life at Wichita State.

“I miss the camaraderie with the guys and the time I spent with them over four years,” VanVleet said. “The assistant coaches, the support staff, the weight-room coaches, the people who work at the arena. All of those people who don’t get much of the spotlight and all of those relationships I built up in my four years there.”

VanVleet says he still stays in touch with Ron Baker, now with the New York Knicks. Baker, who was signed to a $9 million contract in the offseason, has been sidelined by ankle and shoulder injuries and has played in four games. Baker did appear in his first game on Saturday since Oct. 24.

When the Raptors played the Knicks on Nov. 17, the two shared a moment before the game.

“It’s cool anytime you can play against your brother on the highest level,” VanVleet said. “We always look forward to seeing each other. We’re brothers, we’re family. That will never change. This is just normal for us, I don’t really know how else to explain it. It’s not a big deal to us. He’s my guy and it’s fun playing against him.”

On the Raptors, VanVleet has ascended to the team’s backup point guard with the injury to Delon Wright. Since Wright went down with the injury six games ago, VanVleet has seen his time on the court rise to more than 21 minutes.

VanVleet recorded his career-best game last week in a three-point loss to the Pacers when he scored a career-high 16 points with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

When you’re a role player looking to carve out a role in the NBA, every minute on the court matters.

“It definitely magnifies everything being in the position I’m in,” VanVleet said. “I’ve got limited minutes, so I’m trying to make the most of them and make a good impression. I want to let the coaches know I’m someone they can rely on.”

VanVleet said he hasn’t had to reinvent his game or change much about the way he plays. He’s still doing the same things that made him an All-American at Wichita State, just against bigger and better athletes.

The biggest difference is the importance of the pick-and-roll game in the NBA. If you’re going to see minutes, you have to be able to execute out of it and be able to defend it.

“It’s pretty much a different sport at this level,” VanVleet said. “Basketball is still basketball, but the athletes involved, and the game plan, and the level of skill at this level is unmatched. That’s why this is the best sport in the world.”

And the toughest guard he’s had to face so far?

“Man, that’s a long, long list,” VanVleet said. “If I had to pick one, it would probably be Chris Paul. For me as a point guard, seeing what he does and how he runs his team is just unbelievable. I’ve pretty much guarded everyone there is to guard, but there’s a lot of tough guys out there.”

VanVleet says he doesn’t get starstruck playing against the world’s best competition.

He realizes the long odds he’s overcome to make it growing up in Rockford, Ill., but he says there nothing he would change about his journey so far.

“There may be little things here or there, but your story is your story,” VanVleet said. “I don’t try to play revisionist’s history. I don’t live with regret. Whatever happens happens and it makes you into who you are and I’m pretty content with who I am right now and how far I’ve come. I’ve still got a lot more work to do, but I wouldn’t change my story for anything.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 2:25 PM with the headline "With his NBA career burgeoning, Fred VanVleet keeps his Shocker roots."