Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Lowry & Former Raptors Share Their Love for Fred VanVleet
Kyle Lowry paused for a moment as he wrapped up his post-game press conference Thursday night in San Antonio.
All the questions had ended, but Lowry had a message to share.
"Shoutout to Fred VanVleet," he said before leaving the table. "My young buck. All-Star."
It was five years ago that VanVleet's journey started with the Toronto Raptors on a non-guaranteed deal trying to fight for a roster spot by going right up against Lowry. His Summer League performance hadn't drawn any attention, but that quickly changed the moment he stepped out onto the practice court for the first day of training camp.
Lowry wasn't going to get anything easy, VanVleet thought. He picked up the then two-time All-Star in a full-court press.
"I was right at him right away," said VanVleet who earned his first All-Star game honors Thursday night. "I think the first play he baited me into a foul like he used to before they changed the rule, a little grab foul. I come down and score, he score, I score, he score, I score. It was like a couple of those in a row and you could kinda see everybody in the gym like, OK, this kid can play a little bit, and it was on from there."
That compete level stood out to then-Raptors assistant coach Nick Nurse immediately. The way VanVleet carried himself reminded him of Lowry. But even then, a spot on the roster was far from a guarantee.
It's why VanVleet went home every night and got down on his knees to pray. He didn't pray for his shots to go in or for some luck from the basketball gods. VanVleet wasn't concerned about his talent. He knew he had it. What he wanted was someone to notice him.
"I’ve always believed in myself but I’ve never had someone else believe in me like this," he said. "That’s the part that makes me nervous, that’s the part that gives me butterflies, I was nervous all day today [Thursday] because I never know how somebody else is going to perceive it."
VanVleet has earned that respect. He earned it from Lowry all those years ago. He earned it from DeMar DeRozan, an All-Star in his own right, who congratulated VanVleet following the announcement Thursday night. Now he's earned it from NBA coaches.
"I never sought out to be a fan favorite," VanVleet said. "I always sought out to be respected by my peers first and foremost and the coaches right after that."
As VanVleet acknowledged Thursday, his journey wouldn't have been possible without the tutelage of Lowry and DeRozan who showed VanVleet the ropes when everyone else saw him as an NBA afterthought.
"He showed me the blueprint from day one. I was right up under him on the court off, the court, trying to learn as much as I can," VanVleet said of Lowry. "As much as I was being competitive and I wanted to be better than him and I still want to be better and I'm still chasing what he's done and his greatness, I just have admiration and such a respect for him [and] who he is on and off the court.
"He knows the feeling’s mutual. He holds nothing back. He shares everything with me, the good, bad and ugly, and allows me to kind of have the answers to the test. So it's my job to use what he's taught me and shown me along the way and apply that to my life and my career."
The torch in Toronto has been passed. Lowry may be gone, but he's certainly keeping tabs on his former teammates from afar and today, they're following in his footsteps with a trip to Cleveland on the way.
Further Reading
Fred VanVleet shows All-Star skills as Raptors winning streak continues vs. Bulls
Fred VanVleet earns NBA All-Star Game honors
New Super Bowl commercial makes fun of Kyle Lowry 'again and again'
