Fred VanVleet Signs Record Breaking Contract

Bet on yourself indeed. 

Before we get to Fred's new contract, let's take a quick walk down memory lane.

That was Fred after the 2016 draft talking about not being drafted. Some teams were interested, but VanVleet didn't like the future they had for him so he turned them down and opted to, in his words, bet on himself.

After that, he spent a year in the G League, making around $20K a year. His performance there caught the eye of the Toronto Raptors who offered him their 15th, and last spot, on their training camp roster. A 1-year deal worth $540. That season included 16 different G League designations for VanVleet. He turned that performance into a 2-year/$18M deal that saw him rise from role player to NBA Finals star and NBA Champion.

Then free agency hit for the Rockford native in 2020 and he was one of the hottest players being talked about. Multiple reports had him playing anywhere from New York to LA next year but Fred decided that Toronto was the best fit for him and signed a record-breaking contract. The $85M contract value is the biggest contract signed by an undrafted player in NBA history.

BIG congrats to Fred VanVleet. One of the nicest, hardest working guys you'll ever meet. It's great it worked out for him and even better that it seems he hasn't, and won't, forget where he came from.

Bet on yourself guys. It works. Fred has all the receipts.