Fred VanVleet

No one expects an 18-year-old kid to know exactly what path they'll take.

It's important to provide opportunities to those who opportunity usually ignores, or works against, or excludes.

Academia hasn't traditionally been an inclusive place for many of us, and so it's important to make space specifically for people who want to learn, but who are facing barriers that others do not.

I was in my share of fights whether I'd be outside or in the house with my brothers, so I've always had quick hands.

My hands are pretty sore after each game.

Every time I think I got a big steal game I go to the locker room and they give me three, four blocks, I can't do nothing with blocks, they don't do nothing for me, you know what I mean? But if I added those on to the steals, I think I'd be running away with the steals lead.

There's no other way for me to achieve any of the things I've achieved individually other than to be insanely confident and crazy.

My high school coach is an African American studies teacher, so I respect his perspective as an older white guy who has a master's in African American studies.

I think I just earned the coaches' respect. That's not to say by any stretch that I'm dictating any game plans or coverages or anything. But to have that little voice is huge and something I take a lot of pride in.

I don't always love everything that comes with it, but I really love the game.

I love being in the gym.

I really love the game. I really love basketball.

I got to find ways to get better so at least I can say I've done everything that I possibly could.

I'm very ambitious and I'm not shy about it.

I come from one of those communities that's forgotten about and not paid attention to. Growing up, there were a lot of times where I wished my community had certain things or people to come back and just shine a light on it or put money or time or resources into it, because it can change somebody's life.

I sleep pretty good knowing that I go out there every night and lay it all on the line with a pure heart and take whatever comes with that.

As long as I'm out there on the court fighting with my teammates and I get open shots, I'm going to shoot it regardless of what happened before. It's short-term memory and having the confidence to knock them down.

Winning comes first.

I'm a loyal guy, always have been.

We have people who work in regular jobs that come up to us and tell us that they hate their job and they have this passion and they want to pursue this passion. Those types of things mean the most to me.