Heading into the 2020-21 National Basketball Association, I, like many criticized Raptors President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri for re-signing free agent Fred VanVleet long term, rather than veteran big men Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka. Even though by not having a strong big man to defend on a regular basis has been a gigantic weakness for the Raptors this season, on Tuesday night, VanVleet showed the basketball world why the Raptors re-signed him to a four-year deal worth $85 million on November 22.
In an unbelievable offensive performance, VanVleet made NBA history. He scored 54 points, the most ever by a player who originally went undrafted, in a 123-108 Raptors win over the Orlando Magic. Houston Rockets center Moses Malone of Petersburg, Virginia had the old record of 53 points, which was set on February 2, 1982. The Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 122-106. Interestingly VanVleet’s performance came 39 years to the day of Malone’s.
VanVleet also set the Raptors record for most points in a game. DeMar DeRozan had the old Raptors record as he had 52 points in a 131-127 overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks on New Year’s Day, 2018. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, VanVleet is the only undrafted player in the NBA to hold a team’s single-game record for points.
In breaking down the 54-point performance, VanVleet made 17 of 23 field goals, for a remarkable field goal percentage of .739. He also made 11 of 14 three-pointers, and all nine of his free throw attempts.
The Raptors still need a big man to contend in the East. But on one night in Orlando, the Raptors did not need a dominant presence at the power forward or center position to come away with a win.
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