Just because you're a big name in the NBA doesn't mean people will pronounce it correctly. At least that's the reality Fred VanVleet has put up with for most of his career.
The Raptors icon opened up to The Athletic this week about his frustration, with everyone calling him "Fred VanFleet," despite the obvious spelling of his name, which does, in fact, have a giant V in it. Whoops.
"I've got it my whole life. VanFleet is just easier," the Toronto point guard admitted. "I've been numb to it for a long time. I don't even care anymore," he said.
The 27-year-old father of two argued that the consistent mistake, which has been made by everyone from Nick Nurse to seasoned sportscasters, is not a matter of intelligence, but rather a universal thing.
"The smartest people I know, the most successful people I know, to people on the street, they all butcher it. I don't know. It's one of the world's mysteries I guess."
Still, despite dealing with it on a regular basis, and getting used to it, it's clear from the interview that Freddie isn't quite on board with being called "VanFleet" for the rest of his life.
"The worst is on the internet. People will write me at my handle, which spells my name the right way, and still put the F in it," the athlete said.
"If you could pronounce it, great. Don't be disrespectful. But the internet one is the one where it's like, 'OK, now it's just ignorance.' But I feel like most people are pretty stupid, so it doesn't bother me as much," he added.
Fred VanVleet Says He's 'Numb' To People Getting His Name Wrong, Even Out Of 'Ignorance'
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