But VanVleet played like a veteran long before he was one. And he learned in Toronto, where he was in a backcourt with Kyle Lowry, how to share his knowledge. “Any time we’re on the floor together, he talks to me the whole time, whether it’s ‘talk more, communicate’ or teaching me little things that he does really good,” Sheppard said. “So I think that’s what it’s going to be all year. I think we’ll have a really good relationship, and he’s going to be someone I can trust to tell me the right thing, not just what I want to hear. “Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, he’s going to say that, and I’m going to be comfortable hearing that from him. He obviously knows what he’s doing and how to stay around, and he’s a winner. I’m really excited for that relationship.” -via Houston Chronicle / October 1, 2024