Top 5 undrafted players in the NBA, No.2: Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors
Fred VanVleet, the most fun underrated player ever to me. Coming from that historic Wichita State Shockers team which went on a run in the NCAA tournament with VanVleet at the helm. Four-year college player, undersized, and a below the rim athlete. VanVleet has been an underdog his entire basketball career.
Here’s the case for Fred this season in particular. He’s at 20 points, six assists, and four rebounds a game. Which is an improvement from last season, and the season before that. If he keeps going at the rate he’s going, he’ll be somewhere between 22-25 points a game and dishing out 5-7 assists, while being a reliable shooter from the 3-point line (37% this season).
To be undrafted and give your team 20-25 points a game at 6-foot-1 is unheard of. Credit to the Raptors for sticking with Fred, developing him, and rewarding him with a long term deal this last offseason. Fred’s in his 4th season, he’s an NBA champion and stepping into a leadership role for the Toronto Raptors. A ton of value for an undrafted guy.