Raptors' VanVleet: Steph 'made it possible for me to be in the NBA'
With the dust settling from Tuesday's main event at Madison Square Garden, where Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry eclipsed Hall of Fame sharpshooter Ray Allen as the NBA's all-time leader in made 3-pointers, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet joined the chorus of those heaping high praise on the two-time MVP.
"He’s made it possible for me to be in the NBA," VanVleet said Thursday, according to TSN's Kayla Grey.
Like Curry, VanVleet has made up for his lack of physical stature by relying on a steady diet of 3-point shots far outside the reach of his taller, lengthier peers. To date, almost exactly half of the six-footer's shots from the field have been from beyond the arc - 1,665 threes to 1,671 twos (VanVleet has hit 38.4% to Curry's 43.1%).
The pair also took similar routes to the professional ranks, playing at mid-major collegiate programs for multiple years. Curry starred at Davidson from 2006-09, while VanVleet honed his craft at Wichita State from 2012-16.
The Raptors guard has occasionally struggled against the Warriors, perhaps due to the pressure Curry's deep range puts on VanVleet as a defender. Statistically, the 27-year-old's 9.7 points per game across seven outings matches his lowest output versus a specific team in the regular season.
That dip in production has not extended to the postseason, though. VanVleet enjoyed a breakout performance against Golden State in the 2019 Finals, averaging 14 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game en route to Toronto's first-ever NBA championship.
For his part, Curry has averaged 26.7 points, 7.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 40.9% shooting in 20 career outings against the Raptors.