Fred VanVleet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fred VanVleet

VanVleet at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
No. 5 – Houston Rockets
Point guard / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1994-02-25) February 25, 1994 (age 31) Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
High school	Auburn (Rockford, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	197 lb (89 kg)
Career information
College	Wichita State (2012–2016)
NBA Draft	2016 / Undrafted
Pro career	2016–present
League	NBA
Career history
2016–2023	Toronto Raptors
2016–2017	→Raptors 905
2023–present	Houston Rockets
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2019) NBA All-Star (2022) NBA D-League champion (2017) Third-team All-American – SN, NABC (2014) 3× AP Honorable mention All-American (2014–2016) 2× MVC Player of the Year (2014, 2016) 3× First-team All-MVC (2014–2016)

Fredderick Edmund VanVleet Sr. (born February 25, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a point guard for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Before joining the NBA, VanVleet played college basketball for Wichita State University. He helped the Wichita State Shockers reach the Final Four in 2013. The team also had an amazing undefeated regular season in 2014. VanVleet was recognized as an All-American player during his college years. He was also named the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year twice.

Even though he wasn't picked in the 2016 NBA Draft, VanVleet signed with the Toronto Raptors. He spent some time playing for the Raptors and their minor league team, Raptors 905. He even won a championship with Raptors 905 in 2017. Fred then became a very important player for the Raptors. He helped them win their first-ever NBA championship in 2019. VanVleet holds Raptors records for the most assists (20) and points (54) in a single game. His 54 points are also an NBA record for any player who wasn't drafted. In 2022, he was chosen to play in his first NBA All-Star Game.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Fred VanVleet was born in Rockford, Illinois, on February 25, 1994. His parents are Susan VanVleet and Fred Manning. His stepfather, Joe Danforth, who was a police officer, helped train him in basketball. Joe encouraged Fred to always work hard and be his best.

Fred played basketball for Auburn High School in Rockford. As a senior in 2012, he was named an All-State first-team player. He led Auburn to a 22-game winning streak. This helped his school reach the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state tournament final four for the first time since 1975. His team finished in 3rd place.

Fred chose to stay with his local Rockford Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. Many coaches noticed his leadership skills. He received scholarship offers from several colleges. In the end, he chose to play for Wichita State.

College Career at Wichita State

VanVleet as a freshman for the 2012–13 Wichita State Shockers

Freshman Year (2012-2013)

As a freshman, Fred VanVleet played an important role coming off the bench. He scored double-digit points twice in the 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. His team, the 2012–13 Shockers, made it all the way to the Final Four.

Sophomore Year (2013-2014)

VanVleet really shined in his second year. He helped lead the 2013–14 team to an amazing 31–0 regular season. This was the first time an NCAA Division I men's basketball team had done this. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He also earned All-American honors from several sports news outlets.

Junior Year (2014-2015)

VanVleet for the 2014–15 Wichita State Shockers

VanVleet dribbling in 2015

VanVleet being defended by Donte Ingram in 2015

Before his junior year, VanVleet was named a Preseason All-American by many sports publications. He tied a school record with seven steals in the first game of the season. On February 7, he achieved the first triple-double for Wichita State Shockers men's basketball in 43 years. This means he had double-digit numbers in points, rebounds, and assists in one game. He also broke the all-time Wichita State career assist record. VanVleet was again named an All-MVC first-team player.

Senior Year (2015-2016)

VanVleet was again on many preseason watchlists for top college players. He dealt with some injuries during the season. However, he still led the Shockers to important victories. On January 31, he scored a career-high 32 points. He also made all 15 of his free throw attempts in that game. In the 2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, VanVleet helped his team win against Vanderbilt and Arizona. In his final college game, he set a school career record for steals with 225. He finished his college career as the MVC leader in assists per game for the third time. He was also named the MVC Player of the Year for the second time.

Professional Career

Toronto Raptors (2016–2023)

VanVleet with the Raptors in 2018

Fred VanVleet was not chosen in the 2016 NBA Draft. However, he signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors to play in the 2016 NBA Summer League. He then signed a multi-year deal with the Raptors. He made his NBA debut on November 9, 2016. During his first season, he also played for the Raptors' minor league team, Raptors 905. He helped Raptors 905 win their championship in 2017.

In the 2017-18 season, VanVleet started to show his skills. He set new career highs in points and assists. He also made a game-winning shot against the Detroit Pistons. He finished the season as one of the most efficient players in the NBA. He was even nominated for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

VanVleet re-signed with the Raptors in 2018. He continued to improve, setting new career highs in assists and points. He became a key player off the bench for the Raptors. In the 2019 NBA playoffs, he played a huge role. He scored 21 points in a crucial game against the Milwaukee Bucks. In Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, he scored a playoff career-high 22 points. He helped the Raptors win their first-ever NBA championship. He even came in second place for the NBA Finals MVP award.

After winning the championship, VanVleet became a full-time starter for the Raptors. In the season opener in October 2019, he scored a career-high 34 points. In August 2020, he scored a new career-high of 36 points. He also set playoff career highs in points, three-pointers, and assists. In November 2020, he signed a big contract to stay with the Raptors. This was the largest contract ever for a player who wasn't drafted into the NBA.

On February 2, 2021, VanVleet had an incredible game. He scored a career-high 54 points against the Orlando Magic. He also made 11 three-pointers in that game. This set a new Raptors record for most points in a game. It also set an NBA record for the most points scored by an undrafted player.

In the 2021-22 season, VanVleet continued to excel. On January 7, 2022, he recorded his first career triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in points, rebounds, and assists. He was named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week. On February 3, VanVleet was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time. He became only the fourth undrafted player in the modern NBA era to be an All-Star. He also broke Kyle Lowry's Raptors record for most three-pointers made in a season.

On April 2, 2023, VanVleet set another Raptors record. He had a career-high 20 assists in a game. He also scored 20 points in that game. This made him the only player to hold both the single-game points and assists records for an NBA team.

Houston Rockets (2023–present)

In July 2023, Fred VanVleet signed with the Houston Rockets. He made his debut for the Rockets on October 26, 2023.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2016–17	Toronto	37	0	7.9	.351	.379	.818	1.1	.9	.4	.1	2.9
2017–18	Toronto	76	0	20.0	.426	.414	.832	2.4	3.2	.9	.3	8.6
2018–19	Toronto	64	28	27.5	.410	.378	.843	2.6	4.8	.9	.3	11.0
2019–20	Toronto	54	54	35.7	.418	.392	.848	3.9	6.6	1.9	.3	17.6
2020–21	Toronto	52	52	36.5	.389	.366	.885	4.2	6.3	1.7	.7	19.6
2021–22	Toronto	65	65	37.9	.403	.377	.874	4.4	6.7	1.7	.5	20.3
2022–23	Toronto	69	69	36.7	.393	.342	.898	4.1	7.2	1.8	.6	19.3
2023–24	Houston	73	73	36.8	.416	.387	.860	3.8	8.1	1.4	.8	17.4
Career		490	341	30.8	.404	.375	.868	3.4	5.7	1.4	.5	15.0
All-Star		1	0	9.0	.500	.500	—	2.0	3.0	.0	.0	6.0

NBA Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2017	Toronto	7	0	4.1	.667	.400	–	.1	.6	.1	.0	2.0
2018	Toronto	6	1	19.0	.333	.286	.875	1.7	2.2	.0	.0	6.8
2019	Toronto	24	0	24.7	.392	.388	.774	1.8	2.6	.8	.3	8.0
2020	Toronto	11	11	39.1	.399	.391	.840	4.4	6.9	1.6	.6	19.6
2022	Toronto	4	4	35.0	.352	.333	.833	3.0	6.3	1.8	1.0	13.8
Career		52	16	25.1	.391	.372	.814	2.2	3.5	.8	.3	10.0

College Statistics

Records and Achievements

Fred VanVleet holds several impressive records:

NBA Records

• Most points scored in a single game by an undrafted player (54 points).
• He is the only player to hold both the single-game points (54) and assists (20) records for an NBA team (the Toronto Raptors).

Toronto Raptors Records

• Most points in a single game (54).
• Most assists in a single game (20).
• Most three-point shots made in a single season (242).
• Most three-point shots made in a single half (8).
• Longest streak of regular-season games with a three-point shot made (76 games).

Wichita State University Records

• Most career steals (225).
• Most career assists (637).
• Best career assist-to-turnover ratio (3.08).
• Most career games played (141).
• Tied for most steals in a single game (7).
• Tied for most free throws made without a miss in a single game (15).

Personal Life

Fred VanVleet's mother is Susan, and his stepfather is Joe Danforth. Fred has a daughter, born in 2018, and a son, born in 2019. He also has a brother, Darnell, and a stepbrother, J.D., who also played basketball. Fred studied sociology at Wichita State University.

In 2021, VanVleet started a podcast called "Bet On Yourself." It features conversations about overcoming challenges and finding success.

See also

In Spanish: Fred VanVleet para niños

• List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders
• List of NBA single-game 3-point field goal leaders
• Toronto Raptors accomplishments and records