Raptors’ VanVleet explains relatable reason for unfollowing everyone on Instagram

Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet decided this week to do something many of us can surely relate to: it was time for a social media cleanse.

VanVleet decided to clean up his feed on Instagram, taking the number of accounts he’s following from hundreds to under 10.

But a couple keen-eyed Raptors fans, including @OpenGymAnunoby, noticed that VanVleet had included, well, all of his teammates in the cleanse.

Unfollowed the whole team???? What is going on in Toronto?? pic.twitter.com/Zbb2VSX8HP

— si (@OpenGymAnunoby) December 7, 2022

On paper, cleaning up your social media isn’t anything new for your average person or a celebrity athlete like VanVleet.

But the timing of the cleanse matched up with a rough stretch on the court for the veteran guard, who has shot just 31.8% from the field while averaging 15 points over his last ten games.

After hearing the news, Raptors fans, well, decided it was time to include VanVleet in any and every trade proposal.

he gone 😮‍💨 https://t.co/mHrmvx5arH

— All-NBA 4kam (@SI4KAM) December 7, 2022

I need another Tyrese Haliburton on the trade market. https://t.co/NS9nkOeAWi

— ‏ً (@HR_6IX) December 7, 2022

At this point, it’s a matter of what, or who we’re getting for him. Let’s see what Masai is cooking. https://t.co/Avo9sxP7s5

— 3,4-Dihydroxyphenethylamine (@Rick21914198) December 7, 2022

But VanVleet didn’t think it was all that deep.

“People are very interested in my personal life now, which is new for me. I’ve gotta be more aware of that. But I do take everything in stride. I’m a real person,” VanVleet said after yesterday’s 126-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers when asked about his Instagram activity.

VanVleet explained he’s not upset with his teammates or his role in Toronto or anything — he’s just another victim of Instagram’s annoying suggested posts.

“Somebody caught wind of it and said I unfollowed my teammates. I unfollowed my mom too, they didn’t care about that part,” VanVleet said. “[I’m] fighting the algorithm….There’s so many things I’m not following and it’s just suggestion, suggestion, suggestion. So, stupid me, I unfollowed everybody to see if it helped. It didn’t help.”

VanVleet posted 25 points and added seven assists against the Lakers yesterday, while going 3-12 from three-point range and 8-20 overall.

VanVleet’s also been pretty candid earlier this month about Toronto’s up-and-down season, saying the Raptors “haven’t been able to put together any stretches of anything” with no winning streaks over two games.

Win or lose, good game or bad game, following or unfollowing, VanVleet said he’s still got a pretty good control of his mental health.

“It’s gonna take more than a couple bad shooting games for me to lose my mind,” VanVleet added.

For those keeping score at home, VanVleet is now back to following 24 people on Instagram, including four current Raptors teammates as well as Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

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