‘Winner’ Fred VanVleet Sets Raptors Franchise Record

Guard Fred VanVleet accomplished an incredible feat on Tuesday night in Orlando according to Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.

Fred Van Vleet scored 54 points in the 123 – 108 win over the magic, breaking a Raptors record in the process. He surpassed DeMar DeRozan’s 52 points for a single game franchise record for points.

It’s also the most points scored by an undrafted player in NBA history, ahead of Moses Malone’s total of 53. However, Fred Van Vleet is no ordinary undrafted player.

Before the season, he signed the biggest contract for an undrafted free agent in league history. The four-year, $85 million deal shows Toronto’s belief in him.

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He’s repaying that belief on the court, and it’s come as no surprise to Nick Nurse.

“Man, I think it’s an incredible statement,” Nurse said.

“I mean, it’s incredible to be an undrafted guy and to do that. It really is. It’s incredible.

“He’s got a pedigree for winning every team he’s been on his whole life. He took a smaller mid-major university to incredible seasons, obviously had that Game 6 fourth quarter in the championship finals — but again undrafted and tremendous just competitor, worker, thinker, all that stuff.”

Undrafted out of Wichita State, VanVleet now speaks like a man who’s well and truly at home in the NBA.

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It was easy,” VanVleet said.

“No disrespect to the Magic. But I mean, for most of those, I was open. They were in rhythm, they were clean looks. They were within the offense. That’s why I was able to remain patient and still pass out of double-teams and not take bad shots because of the way I got all my points. There were maybe one or two quick, bad shots, if that.

“Most of those were in rhythm, within the offense, playing in the flow of the game; and I even told the guys, ‘You guys, keep playing.’ I could feel them start to look for me to the point where they weren’t looking at the rim anymore. I wanted to win more than I wanted 50 points. Just trying to continue to play with a pure heart and let the game come to me, and I was rewarded for that.”