“I know that what I'm doing is paving the way for a lot of guys after me. There are guys getting drafted now that I know for a fact wouldn't have got drafted in my class or before my class, just because teams are looking at it like, 'We don't want to miss out on the next Fred VanVleet,' or 'This kid can be Fred or better,' whatever the case may be.”

American professional basketball player

Fred VanVleet is an American professional basketball player in the NBA, and the current president of the National Basketball Players Association. He is known for his leadership on and off the court. VanVleet plays for the Houston Rockets. Beyond his role as a guard, he is recognized for representing fellow players through the NBPA presidency, a position that places him at the center of leaguewide labor and player issues.