(Toronto) “Freddy All Star” is now a fitting nickname.
Posted at 8:16 p.m.
Fred VanVleet was selected as an All-Star Game participant for the first time in his career on Thursday.
He will represent the Toronto Raptors at the annual classic in Cleveland on February 20.
VanVleet will be among the reserves on the East side. Selections were made by the Silver Tour Head Coaches.
VanVleet leads the Raptors with averages of 21.5 points and seven assists per game (before Thursday night’s game in Toronto against the Chicago Bulls).
He has a 39.1% success rate on three-point shots.
Additionally, VanVleet leads the NBA with 38.6 minutes per game, on average.
He is fifth in the league in steals, with 75.
Workaholic, highly respected point guard, intense yet quiet strength, streak maker and judicious in his passing. All of this and more applies to rock in Rockford, Illinois.
An undrafted player in 2016, VanVleet turns 28 on February 25, shortly after returning to play following the All-Star break.
VanVleet notably helped the Raptors win the NBA championship in 2019.
In November 2020, he agreed to what would be a four-year, $85 million deal to stay with the Toronto team.
Lakers’ LeBron James will return to Cleveland as captain.
Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Andrew Wiggins of the Warriors will compete in the annual classic for the first time.
Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets and Stephen Curry of the Warriors were also voted as starters for Western clubs.
The starters coming from the East will be Kevin Durant (Nets), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls), Joel Embiid (76) and Trae Young (Hawks).
Durant, however, may have to miss the game with a left knee injury.
The captains will be James and Durant, the most popular on either side in a poll that included fans, members of the media and active players.
We will know the choices of James and Durant next Thursday.
A native of Akron, James won the NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, his second stint with them. He started his career with Cleveland in 2003.
A star player for the 18th straight year, James has captained every year since the start of the game’s current format (2018).
The other reserves coming from the West will be Devin Booker and Chris Paul (both from the Suns), Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell (both from the Jazz), Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) and Draymond Green ( Warriors).
Coming from the East, we will also see Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), James Harden (Nets), Zach LaVine (Bulls), Jimmy Butler (Heat) and Khris Middleton (Bucks).
The Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa will be at the Rising Stars Mini-Tournament on February 18.
Drafted fourth in July, Barnes leads rookies in the league in minutes played. Achiuwa has had five games of 13 or more points.