VanVleet continues to defy odds with first all-star selection

TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO – Never tell Fred VanVleet the odds. Fortunately, he’s never gotten too caught up in them anyway.

What are the chances of an undrafted guard generously listed at six-foot-one fighting his way onto an NBA roster and, eventually, into the rotation? What are the chances of that player carving out an integral role on a championship team, earning a contract that pays him north of $20 million annually, and succeeding an icon at his position to become the face of a franchise? And what are the chances of him blossoming into an all-star?

You don’t need to crack the numbers. That particular career arc had never been achieved. It was completely unprecedented, but then again, VanVleet’s made a living out of defying the odds.

On Thursday, he added another chapter to his remarkable underdog story. The 27-year-old Raptors guard was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game, voted in as a reserve by the league’s head coaches. He’s just the fourth undrafted player to earn that honour in the modern era of the sport, and the first since Ben Wallace in 2006.

He didn’t have much time to process or celebrate his latest accomplishment in between hearing the news less than 15 minutes before tipping off against Chicago and dropping 21 points and nine assists in his team’s 127-120 overtime win of the Bulls.

“Just proud, humble and honoured to be selected first and foremost,” VanVleet said afterwards. “Obviously you guys know how I feel about myself, and the will and confidence that I’ve had to have over the course of my life and my career. To be recognized [in] life that is a special moment for me and my family and all the people that have been part of the journey along the way.”

As word spread around