Fred VanVleet Bio: Girlfriend & Net Worth

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“Freddy All-Star” Fredderick Edmund VanVleet Sr. is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He was into sports and wanted to become an athlete from his Auburn days.

VanVleet started as a point guard in college football and still plays in that position professionally.

fred-vanvleet-dribbles-for-the-raptors
Fred VanVleet dribbles for the Raptors (Source: Twitter)

He was not drafted in 2016, but that did not stop him from winning the NBA title in 2019. 

After delivering a commencement address, Fred became an in-demand public speaker at his former high school in Wichita State.

Here are some quick facts about Fred VanVleet that you might want to know.

Quick Facts 

Full Name Fredderick Edmund VanVleet Sr.
Date of Birth February 25, 1994
Age 30
Birth Place Rockford, Illinois
Nickname Freddy All-Star
Religion N/A
Nationality American
Ethnicity Biracial
Education Auburn High School, Wichita State University
Father’s Name Fred Manning
Mother’s Name Susan VanVleet
Siblings 2 (Damell VanVleet, and JD Danforth)
Zodiac Sign Pisces
Height 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm)
Weight 195 lbs (88 kg)
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Black
Build Athlete
Marital Status Unmarried
Girlfriend Shontai Nell
Children 2 (Sanaa Marie VanVleet and Fred VanVleet Jr)
Sexual Orientation Straight
Profession Basketball player
 Team Toronto Raptors
Position Point Guard
NBA Draft 2016 / Undrafted
League NBA
Playing Career 2016 – present
Net Worth $20 million
Salary $9,000,000
Merch The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s Underdogs (Paperback)
Social Media Twitter, InstagramFacebook
Last Update March, 2024

Fred VanVleet | Early Life, Family, and Education

Fred grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and went to Auburn High School. He started playing basketball in college after he joined Wichita State University. 

VanVleet was able to become the career assist leader for Wichita State.

He was born to Fred Manning and Susan. After his Father passed away, he was brought up by his mother and stepfather, Joe Danforth.

fred-vanvleet-with-his-family
Fred VanVleet with his family. (Source: Twitter)

Fred grew up with two siblings, Darnell VanVleet and J.D. Danforth.

Fred Manning, VanVleets’ biological Father, died in 1999 from a gunshot. And, he followed on with his mother’s surname.

Susan raised her two sons, Fred and Darnell, as a single mother remarrying to Joe Danforth.

His stepfather, Joe, is a former army officer, Police officer, and coach at the AAU tournament.

VanVleet was an All-State first-team selection by the Chicago Sun-times, Associated Press, and Chicago Tribune as a senior in 2012 for Auburn High School.

But, despite getting offers from high-profile teams in Chicago, he remained loyal to his local team Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Colorado State, Northern Illinois, Wichita State, Southern Illinois, Drake, Detroit, and Kent State offered scholarships to him.

Out of all these teams, he accepted to play for Wichita State. 

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Fred VanVleet | Age, Height, and Weight

Lauri is 30 years old, standing tall at 6 feet and 1 inch, and weighing 88 kg.

His Body Mass Index (BMI) is 25.7, which may be a little overweight, but that’s not a problem as he is fit and fine.

Moreover, Markkanen’s tall and lean body makes it easy for him to compete with the best players in the NBA.

Fred VanVleet | College Career

Initial Days

Freddy All-Star joined the basketball team of Wichita State University in 2012. 

He played in the 2013 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament and scored double digits as the Shockers team reached the final four. 

In his sophomore year, VanVleet became a beast, as expected. He was selected for the 23-man Oscar Robertson Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association.

fred-vanvleet-defends-for-the-raptors
Fred VanVleet defends the Raptors (Source: wikimedia.org)

He was named as one of the ten semi-finalists for the Naismith Award. 

In a game against Loyola, Freddy went 6-for-6 from the field and 10-for-10 on his free throw and scored 22 points, including six assists and eight rebounds.

This win raised the record of Wichita state to 28-0

Fred’s brilliant performance earned him the Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference first team and the Basketball Player of the Year.  He was also part of the  2014 Most-Improved Team.

Just Flourishing

The Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report selected VanVleets in the second NCAA Men’s basketball All-American team.

Coming to the end of his sophomore season, he was regarded as a highly demanded public speaker following his commencement address at his high school alma mater.

VanVleet kept his excellent form running during his junior year, as USA Today selected him in the preseason All-American First Team.

He was listed as number 5 in the player ranking by ESPN. Vanvleet tied a school record with seven steals in a game against New Mexico State. He added a career-high ten assists with a 5-for-5 performance, which was his first career double-double.

In a match against Loyola, the All-star player scored his career-high 27 points. 

VanVleet won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title with the Shockers after defeating Northern Iowa.

Great Going Senior Year

In his senior college year, VanVleet was included as the second-best point guard, and out of 100 players, he was ranked 14 by ESPN and 17 by N.B.C. Sports.

He missed the season opener against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in November due to a hamstring injury. Despite his injury, he played on in their next game against Tulsa, but it affected his hamstring and forced him to miss a few games. 

After missing VanVleet due to injury, Wichita State suffered in many games and had their worst start since the 2008-09 season.

The star boy returned in December and ended his team’s losing streak by beating St. Louis. He earned consecutive player of the week twice for his performance in December and January.

In a game against Evansville, he scored a career-high 32 points that included all 15 of his free throw attempts. 

Freddy played his final game for Wichita State in a match against Miami in March by setting a school career record with a total of 225.

He was listed to the Missouri Valley Conference all-league first team for the third time in three years and the MVC Larry Bird Trophy Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons.

Fred VanVleet | Professional Career

Toronto Raptors

The Wichita State star was not selected initially in the 2016 NBA draft and rejected offers to play in the NBA Development League.

However, VanVleet signed with the Toronto Raptors in the 2016 NBA Summer League.

In July, his hopes of playing in the NBA came true when he signed a career-defining deal with the Raptors.

In November, Fred made his NBA debut in a win against Oklahoma City Thunder. But unfortunately, he was only featured for 26 seconds in his first game.

In December, he scored his first career points against the Los Angeles Lakers, his fourth career appearance. 

VanVleet posted his career-high 15 points in a loss against the Orlando Magic. He had multiple games with the Raptors 905 during his rookie season in the NBA Development League and was also a part of the championship-winning team in April 2017. 

In January, Fred achieved his career-high with 25 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

He helped the Raptors become the first team to enter the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

He finished his first professional season with 8.6 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game in 76 games.

With this record, Fred was ranked 4th, just behind Stephen Curry, Eric Gordon, and Chirs Paul.

His brilliant season did not end there, as he was nominated for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.

VanVleet had an outstanding first season with the Raptors and resigned in 2018. 

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Breakout Season

He started the season with a career-high of 19 points against the Bucks and a career-high assists of 14 against the Lakers. He scored a career-high whopping 30 points in a win against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Raptors qualified for the 2019 NBA playoffs with VanVleet as a vital bench player.

fred-vanvleet-layups-for-the-raptors
Fred VanVleet lay-ups for the Raptors (Source: si.com)

Fred led his team in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks, scoring 21 points in game 5. The Raptors beat the Bucks to reach their first NBA final in franchise history.

They faced the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, VanVleet was elbowed in the face by Shaun Livingston, which required seven stitches. 

But he returned stronger to score 22 points, including five 3-pointers in a series-clinching victory. Following this win, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in their franchise history.

fred-vanvleet-with-his-championship_trophy
Fred VanVleet with his championship trophy (Source: Facebook)

This season, Freddy All-Star had an all-star performance that saw him just behind Kawhi Leonard. 

In the new season, VanVleet started by beating his career records as he scored a career-high 36 points in a win against the Miami Heat. 

The Raptors faced the Nets in the first game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, where VanVleet became the first player in Raptors history to record 30 points and 10+ assists.

The Raptors boosted as Fred decided to remain with them as he signed a four-year deal worth $ 85 million. 

He recorded his first career triple-double against the Utah Jazz and was named an NBA ALL-Star.

Fred VanVleet | Girlfriend

Fred VanVleet is currently dating his high school sweetheart Shontai Neal. Shontai has been cheering for his boyfriend since he started playing basketball for Auburn High School. 

After Fred moved to pursue his playing career in Wichita State Shocker, it is reported that Shontai also went to Wichita to support her lover.

She spent four years at Wichita and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Health/Health Care Administration/Management. 

Shontai was so rich academically that she hooked on Dean’s List in 2013 and 2016.

fred-vanvleet-with-his-girlfriend-and-children
Fred VanVleet with his girlfriend and children. (Source: hollywoodmask.com)

Fred and Shontai are not married, but they have two beautiful kids. Her firstborn arrived on  January 28, 2018, and her secondborn on May 20, 2019.

Fred VanVleet | Net Worth

The American basketball player has had a reasonably successful career. He is just 30 years old and an NBA champion.

He has an estimated net worth of $20 million as of  2022.

His yearly salary in the NBA is reported to be $9,000,000. VanVleet inked a 4-year contract worth  $85 million with the Raptors in 2020.

Social Media Presence

The 6 feet 1-inch player is active on social media, with more than 732k followers on Instagram, 186.6k followers on Twitter, and 264k on Facebook.

Fred mostly posts his basketball life on his social media pages and occasionally about his girlfriend and family. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Fred VanVleet an All-Star?

Fred VanVleet became an All-Star following his championship-winning performance for the Raptors in 2020. He also got the nickname “Freddy All-Star.”

Is Fred VanVleet a good fantasy pick?

Fred VanVleet may have struggled throughout his ball game, but his assists, rebounds, and steal have been impactful.

Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.

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