Fred VanVleet - Defensive Dynamo (Heavy Hands) 20/21

Fred VanVleet. NBA Champion. Mr. Bet on Yourself. Fred went undrafted in 2016. Signed with Toronto Raptors Summer League team. During his rookie year, he had repeat appearances for the Raptors 905 (the Raptors’ D-League team). D-League Champion in 2017. Finished as a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year in 2018. In 2018-19, he made his mark on the league, playing hounding defense on Stephen Curry and delivered big shots time and time again. He's still on the ascent: 19.6 points per game (a career-high) on 38.9/36.6/88.5 shooting splits while averaging a career best usage...but this video is about his defense. Blocks and steals aren't everything but per Cleaning the Glass, his block and steal percentages were in the 92nd and 85th percentile respectively for combo guards. Per NBA Stats, FVV led the league in deflections per game (3.8). TLDR: he got his hands on the basketball a lot and he has such strong hands that it resulted in something good for the defense.
To borrow from my good friend Samson Folk: “Another member of the Raptors who can contest for an All-Defense selection year in and year out. Few players in the NBA can track off-ball as well as VanVleet. His screen-craft, defensive reads, stout physical disposition, and heavy (HEAVY) hands make him a particularly bothersome defender at the point of attack and on dig downs.”
Here's a little of players Fred ripped or stripped the ball from in the video:
Joel Embiid
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Paul George
De'Aaron Fox
Zion Williamson
Ben Simmons
Rudy Gobert
Devin Booker
Khris Middleton
Collin Sexton
Jrue Holiday
Anthony Edwards
Brandon Ingram
Kevin Love
Jayson Tatum
Julius Randle
Nikola Vucevic
Tobias Harris
Domantas Sabonis
Lonzo Ball
Christian Wood
Ivica Zubac
www.raptorsrep...
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[@aldogarciamoreno5490]

The amazing thing for me it's how clean those strips are, most of the time not even the opponents argue because they know it was clean

[@acceptc00kies]

So true

[@cd6xc]

It's funny how people had to realize early that the Lowry-VanVleet wasn't really "small", both were strong, active defenders with incredible strength and terrifying hands.

[@dan61909]

0:15 wow that’s really damn impressive. For him to straight up steal it from Giannis’s hands shows that even tho he’s small, Vanvleet built like a tank.

[@WhoAreYou905]

Yeah Fred is 6’0 with a 6’2 wingspan and he’s 200 pounds

[@floatingfacedown9691]

still one of the ballsiest defensive plays from a guard i've seen. stared down an attacking giannis like the dude owed him money

[@southerncoastproductions7587]

stio ut,

[@GreedyGlo]

Raptors Defense Is So Beautiful Everyone Working Collectively In Unison No Laziness No Selfishness

[@joelbarnes7987]

2:29 This man stripped Embiid with his back turned, wow

[@paulb808]

This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on youtube.

[@growtopiafan8974]

Man u gotta do a raptors team defense video this year especially with the insane amount of length (OG, Siakam, Precious, Scottie)

[@CJHan]

Very high defensive IQ there FVV. Impeccable timing.

[@chuchuchuchia]

Heavy Hands would be such a fire nickname

[@jordanaustin5591]

With him and Lowry in the backcourt, raptors were blessed with stout 6-‘1 6’2 guards 💪🏾

[@treycdd]

Gotta love defense! Appreciate your videos as always!

[@glamma_dee4087]

FVV putting on a small guard clinic! I had a smile on my face the whole time 😃

[@fiji_g0d]

studying this for my tryouts tmmrw, gonna try to be the best defender there.

[@tearealdavis2212]

He gave me pointers as a small defender. He hits the ball out before they gather for a shot

[@GreedyGlo]

Love Seeing Little Guards (All Players Too Though) Compete On Both Sides No Excuses

[@BabylonGateLA]

Vanvleet ain’t little tho! He’s not tall, but the brotha thick AF, so he doesn’t get push around!

[@taysira.505]

my guy yammed that from Giannis

[@johnlee4260]

Ayy i requested a comp of vanvleet stripping centers last season. Thanks for making it 🙏🙏🙏

[@GreedyGlo]

Timing Is Crazy🔥

[@versatillion15]

Hold up he strong as hell 😂😂

[@elijahhutchings7947]

I don’t think people know how crazy his game is😂

[@thedarkside314]

@@elijahhutchings7947 look at VanVleet and LaVine stats, then rub your eyes to check if you even opened up another page. The love Zach gets compared to Fred, even as a champion is purely disrespectful.

[@rigz87]

Wow! Half of them didn't even know what happened until the ball was already going the other way LOL. Great video btw.

[@Rickle_Pick23]

This is gonna go a long ways in Houston. Teach the youngins how to keep playing on D

[@Goodmorningmg]

Giannis must hate this dude damn never seen one guy getting him over and over again

[@dynasty5053]

Vanvleet got Hands🖐

[@vernstar32]

@2:28 did this guy just strip Embiid with his back to him 🤨😳

[@FavoriteScenes5999]

Great defense Drake

[@rer6513]

Special

[@Justin-jp1bi]

he should be nba steal leader its so wack how they count some of those as blocks

[@GreedyGlo]

Barnes Is Gonna Fit In Great Here

[@brixcorder5249]

Quick ass hands

[@walieburns2372]

Should be 1st team

[@geezushasrisen]

GIMME THAT SHIT, GIANNIS.

[@AreYouFNQRAZII]

I need a Dillon Brooks offense/defense Video🤧

[@ghostrodney3690]

Do mikal bridges off ball threat and defense ability

[@karlnystedt3111]

Yeah Freddie will be greatly missed, Rockets got a winner.
Never could understand the kind of mentality that would claim straight -faced that he was a defensive liability.

[@Simon_Sez]

Completely random but “heavy hands” made me think of that Family Guy clip where Brian was being pet by a special needs kid..

[@versatillion15]

Lmfao