Fred VanVleet heard three words from his agent on the night he went undrafted - “Bet on Yourself”. We are excited to welcome our first Toronto Raptor mom, Susan Danforth, who tells us Fred’s story and how these three words helped motivate him to where he is today and why this is only the beginning.
From his early days and the tragedies he faced as a young child, losing his dad at age 5, to the night of June 13 2019 when the Raptors won the NBA championship, Sue shares what it’s been like raising her son and how he has overcome the many challenges and obstacles thrown his way on the road to victory.
After a great NCAA showing, Fred declared for the 2016 draft. Sue takes us through that experience, how they coped when he went undrafted and how they went from that night to the signing of a two-year contract with Toronto Raptors and then in 2018 signing a second two year contract worth $18 million.
Wendy and Sue relive the Raptors 2019 playoff run, Fred’s incredible performance off the bench and how his superstitions kept his family away from the final game of the season when the Raptors won the championship.
Our podcast wraps up with Wendy and Sue sharing their views on the impact of the Black Lives Movement and COVID19 on the resumption of the NBA season and on both of their sons. Tune in for a great episode to kick off our new season.