Toronto Raptors fans aren’t the only ones gushing about Fred VanVleet’s magnificent season.  VanVleet’s teammates, of course, know better than anyone else just how special his year has been amidst a multitude of league- and team-wide challenges—some foreseen and some unexpected. For rookie Scottie Barnes, who’s having a bright campaign of his own, FVV has been awe-inspiring, the very picture of a weathered leader in the heart of his prime.

“Fred’s been killing it,” Barnes told reporters Friday. “Doing so much talking on defense, leading the team. On offense, scoring the ball at a high level—midrange, going to the basket, shooting threes, running our offense to perfection. He’s just been going on a tear lately.”

In particular, Barnes has kept a close eye on how VanVleet handles his role as an offensive initiator, setting whoever’s on the floor up for success each and every possession. It’s a skill he knows he’ll need to continue to nurture himself as the ball is put in his hands more and more going forward.

“Seeing how poised he is when running offense,” Barnes replied when asked if he’s learned anything in particular from his Raptors teammate, “how he just knows how to run things, gets us organized, gets us to the right spots—just being that true point guard on the floor. Making every play count, basically.”

As has been well documented at this point, Fred VanVleet’s leadership hasn’t been held to within the four lines of the court. He has been the central voice in the locker room and in practices, as well as a model of consistency in a season that’s been anything but.

“Off the floor he’s a hard worker,” Barnes said. “He’s always in the gym, just working on his craft, working it to perfection. Getting his jump shots in, working on different things that translates right to the game.”

Scottie Barnes is a significant way off from feeling the pressure that comes with stepping into the role of the Raptors' franchise player, but he’s hyper-aware of the path he’ll need to take to get there. The fact that VanVleet has already walked that path, creating his own luck from the very beginning, is as good a place as any to start taking notes.

“Probably just the way he handles things,” Barnes said about what he admires most about VanVleet. “He’s very professional. The way he handles things on and off the floor. You just see how he handles his business, he’s all about business.”