Nurse: VanVleet Should Definitely be an All-Star

Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse says Fred VanVleet should make this year's All Star game despite the team's losing record to start the year

SI Staff | Jan 29, 2021

Nurse: VanVleet Should Definitely be an All-Star /

The Toronto Raptors have had at least one player make the NBA All-Star game every season since 2013. It's an incredible eight-year streak for the organization, but a 7-11 start to the season this year might have the streak coming to an end. With Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry not flourishing the way they have in years past, Fred VanVleet might be the team's best bet for a roster spot.

The 26-year-old VanVleet is average a team-high 18.9 points per game with 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. His shooting numbers haven't been the most pretty, just 39.8% from the field, but his cumulative stats certainly warrant some attention.

"He definitely, I think he's in consideration for it," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "I think he's logged heavy minutes, he's played really well. The only thing, well, one of the things that's probably hurting him or fighting him a little bit is our record. We've benefited in the past from having such a good record and you've got to say 'geez, they're winning all these games, who is responsible for that?' and we've got multiple players to the game almost every year."

That 7-11 record will certainly hurt VanVleet's candidacy just as it did Bradley Beal's last season when the Washington Wizards had a 16-31 record on January 30, 2020, the day the All-Star reserves were revealed. If the Raptors can turn things around, however, there's still hope for a player to make the game.

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