All-Star voting season is right around the corner, set to begin on Christmas Day.
It's never too early to start looking at All-Star cases and Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is building a strong resume to make a push.
MORE: NBA All-Star voting tips off on Christmas Day
Taking over as the Raptors' leader and floor general, VanVleet has been the heartbeat of his team. Opposing coaches, from Steve Kerr to former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, have shown VanVleet plenty of love as the conductor of Toronto's next generation.
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"He's a tough competitor, a great shot-maker and a bulldog defensively," Kerr said of VanVleet, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "At that size, to make it in the league these days you've gotta be really strong & Fred is really strong. He's a skilled guy and has obviously had to work for everything he's got. I admire him."
Casey, who gave VanVleet his first opportunity to prove himself in the league, coaching him during his first two seasons, had even more praise for who the undrafted guard has become.
"The head of the snake is Fred," Casey said ahead of the Detroit Pistons' matchup with the Raptors. "He brings that championship mentality, he runs the team. So he's the difference for this team and they have his personality."
Toronto is off to a mediocre 13-14 start to the season, but VanVleet has been Mr. Consistency for his team. Averaging 19.4 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting a career-high 43.0 percent from the field and an improved 38.6 percent from three. VanVleet's numbers look eerily similar to his former Raptors teammate, Kyle Lowry, during his first All-Star season.
| Age, Season | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG% | 3P% | |
| VanVleet, 2021-22 | 27, Year 6 | 19.4 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 43.0 | 38.6 |
| Lowry, 2014-15 | 28, Year 9 | 17.8 | 6.8 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 41.2 | 33.8 |
In fact, VanVleet out-paces Lowry in every statistical category except assists. But there was one other area where Lowry received a significant boost – wins.
To this same date in their respective seasons (Dec. 14) Lowry's Raptors were 18-6, owning the best record in the Eastern Conference. That is almost always a recipe to receive All-Star consideration, which was the case for Lowry to earn his first-ever All-Star bid alongside his teammate DeMar DeRozan.
The Raptors' current record may not even be enough to get a single All-Star bid, but if they do, it would be VanVleet.
And of course, how VanVleet's numbers stacked up against Lowry's in 2014-15 means nothing toward an actual bid for this season, it is more of a reference point than anything else.
So while we understand that VanVleet's contributions to Toronto have been of All-Star calibre, how does he compare with his peers who will also be fighting for All-Star guard spots in the East?
For what it's worth, there were six guards selected as All-Stars in the East in 2021, four in 2020 and six in 2019. That means we can assume there will be roughly five or six guard spots available.
The locks, in my opinion, are Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young and Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine. The Nets and Bulls own two of the best records in the league, while Young was snubbed last year and I don't see it happening again this year.
That leaves VanVleet in the mix with a pool of extremely talented players who all have just as strong of a case, fighting for potentially two or three final spots.
- LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets: Ball has been one of the best players in the league this year, elevating the Hornets above expectations. He is averaging 20.0 points, 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. In my opinion, the first of many All-Star bids is on the way for Ball.
- Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers: Before you dismiss him, Garland has the Cavaliers in fourth place in the East and has been the catalyst behind the team's success. He is averaging career-highs across the board, highlighted by 18.9 points and 7.5 assists per game. He's well in the mix for the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year.
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics: The number of games he has missed may hurt Brown's case, but the production when he's on the floor is there. After his first-career All-Star nod last season, Brown is back at it averaging 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
- Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks: If the Bucks get two All-Stars, Holiday has a case to get a bid over Khris Middleton this season. His efforts on the defensive end cannot be overstated and he is averaging 16.0 points, 6.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
And to add to those four players, multi-time All-Stars like Lowry and Bradley Beal will deserve a look, as well as hopeful first-time All-Stars like Cole Anthony and Malcolm Brogdon.
If there are six guards selected, it's easy to believe that VanVleet is as deserving as any of the aforementioned players.
It's fair to say Ball's numbers and Garland's impact on his team's surprising success gives them the edge over VanVleet. But with players like Brown, Holiday and Lowry, they will be hoping their teams get multiple bids. Someone like Beal could be the Washington Wizards' lone selection, but he's having one of his worst statistical seasons in years. Brogdon and Anthony's numbers stack up with VanVleet's, but their teams' records are worse-off.
All of this is to say that VanVleet is right on the cusp of his first All-Star honour and his play over the next few weeks while voting ramps up could make all the difference if he is selected.
Let's see if the 27-year-old guard can continue his unlikely rise in the NBA and crack the All-Star team.
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