A year ago, Fred VanVleet had yet to play a regular-season game with Kawhi Leonard as his teammate and Nick Nurse as his head coach. In the NBA, time is a funny thing -- each season feels like a long, slow grind until you stop and look back. "It all runs together," the Toronto Raptors guard told CBS Sports. "It's a big blur, honestly." Now VanVleet is an NBA champion, and his clutch shots against the Bucks and Warriors will never be forgotten in Toronto. But after he scored 22 points and made five 3s in Game 6 in Oakland and earned Hubie Brown's Finals MVP vote, things changed again. Leonard and Danny Green left in free agency, and half of the roster is unproven. In the summer, VanVleet tried to set an example for the new guys, working out with them and answering their questions.

"Freddy's a natural leader," Nurse said.

VanVleet also had to prepare for a larger role. Toronto's starting lineup will be fluid, but he started the three games he played in the preseason. Kevin Durant recently said VanVleet is "stamped" and will be in the league as long as he wants to play, but the undrafted, undersized guard does not plan on losing his edge.

"He's still hungry," Nurse said. "Like, I can see he's improved his game. His shooting has gotten better since the last time I saw him in June -- gotten deeper, a little quicker. He just seems to have a tremendous amount of drive. He's not done. He's not satisfied or done or happy. He keeps getting better, too."

In a recent conversation, VanVleet discussed what's next after winning a title, the Raptors' return to underdog status and how to handle playoff pressure. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

CBS Sports: How would you describe this moment of your career?

Fred VanVleet: I don't know, I think it's just a part of the story. I won't be able to put it all in perspective until I'm done playing, but I feel like I'm in a good place. And having to work so hard to get here -- to make it to the NBA, to make myself into a prominent player -- I think I'm in a good space to kind of cross over, to break through, if I haven't already done that.

CBS: It's interesting that you said "if I haven't already done that." What do you feel you have to prove now?

FVV: Nothing. I don't feel like I have to prove anything. It's just more so proving to myself as a competitor, just wanting to be great, wanting to be better each year. There's always room to grow. I haven't reached my peak. I feel like I'm still early in my career, I'm still a young player and I still have a lot of room to grow. So it's more so about taking what I did and building on it and trying to expand and do that consistently on a nightly basis. I don't feel like I have anything to prove to anyone other than myself and my teammates. At the end of the day, winning games is the only thing that matters.

CBS: When you win a title, does it change you?

FVV: Yeah. That's something that you'll carry with you. It's the holy grail in our game. March Madness is its own thing, but this is different. It's the highest stage, the highest level of basketball, the best players. The Warriors had been there five years in a row. We had been swept two years in a row. So it's just like more of a validation, vindication kind of thing. And that's something that no one can ever take away from us. Even with Kawhi leaving and everybody getting right back to disrespecting us, they have to say "NBA champs" first. And that's something that will never go away. You can put it on your chest or your arm or your back, wherever it suits you. That's something that you get to carry with you for the rest of your life and obviously for the rest of your career.

CBS: My editor was saying it's weird how people seem to have forgotten about the Raptors already -- I told him, as someone who is from Toronto, that isn't weird.

FVV: No, it's not weird. That's how it goes. We know what it's like being a Raptor and how we get treated in the national media, so, you know, right back to where we were before. But I feel like we're in a good space.

CBS: You're not one to dwell on past success. Can success be dangerous?

FVV: Yeah. I mean, it depends on what your values are. Like, is that everything you ever wanted or is it just a part of the journey? For me, like, winning a championship was all I ever wanted but at the same time, it's not -- it's weird because people treat it as if it's the end. I'm on my fourth year. I've still got a lot of games left to play, God willing. I have to be able to want more and still be hungry for more. And winning a championship doesn't stop that.

CBS: So you come back to Toronto and see signage on the practice facility saying "NBA champions" -- you can appreciate that without getting caught up in it?

FVV: For sure. I think it's a good way, I mean, depending on your personality, to be proud of it and to appreciate it while still being hungry for more. You know what I mean? It's not impossible, it's not so black and white where if you're still happy that you won you're relaxed and you're not going to want more. I'm not satisfied, but we definitely are proud. I still smile thinking about winning a championship. That shit is special. That's what makes it so hard to do, it's the most sought-after goal in our game, in the world of basketball, is winning an NBA championship. It's the hardest thing to do. So we did it. And now the fun part is to try to go do it again.

Fred VanVleet smiles whenever he thinks about winning the title, but he wants more. Michael Meredith (CBS Sports)

CBS: You called winning an NBA title "the hardest thing to do." How do you handle the mental stress of the playoffs?

FVV: I think it just boils down to who you are as a person. To me, it's twofold: Like, who you are as a person, what's your mental makeup, how you think about life. And then, two, who's around you. We had a good, perfect balance of guys who are mentally strong and ready for the moment, experienced, tough, and when one was down, the next guy picked him up. So it was a collective thing where a solid group of eight or nine that we had that was playing, we were all tied in together. When one guy was a little bit slacking, another guy picked up the load and just kept pushing forward.

CBS: Is it kind of an extension of your normal mentality? Because the story was you breaking out of this slump and catching fire, but two years before, you started 3 of 18 from 3 and ended up shooting 41 percent.

FVV: I always start slow. Yeah, I'm trying to figure it out. I definitely, the last three years, have started shooting the ball terribly in the beginning of the season, so I'm trying to figure it out. But I think it happens. There are slumps. Every shooter has gone through 'em. For me, as drastic as my slump is, it can go the other way. That's just how my mind is. You know, when I'm in a shooting slump, I'm not going to stop shooting, I'm not going to stop taking 'em. Maybe that's why my numbers suffer sometimes. And then when I'm hot, it's going to keep going up. I just believe in the longevity of the season, of not worrying about one game or one series or whatever. Like, we're winning over a stretch of a series or over a stretch of a season, that's all that matters. And I know that I'll finish where I want. I think last year I started terribly, shooting like 20 percent from 3, too, and I finished at about 37 or something like that. [VanVleet finished at 37.8 percent.] So I'm trying to get up to 40, 41, where I normally am.

CBS: Nick was saying you're shooting more deep 3s. When you try to expand your game, is there a certain level of failure you have to accept?

FVV: That's part of it, too. I took a lot of tough shots last year, a lot of end-of-clock shots, a lot of heaves behind halfcourt, "grenades" we call 'em with one second on the shot clock. I also factor that in, too. If I'm not shooting the ball well, I would do the numbers and be like, all right, I'm actually shooting 45 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s but if you add in all these other bullshit shots, then my percentages drop. That's a way to keep your confidence going and to just know that, all right, I'm still a good shooter, regardless of what the numbers say. And they don't always tell the full story. I'm not a huge numbers guy, but yeah. So, deeper 3s, trying new things, trying to become more of a shot creator for myself, more contests. People are starting to respect the shot now, so I have better, bigger defenders flying at you. That'll play a part in it, too. You just gotta keep adjusting.

CBS: Nobody's going to complain when a coach tells you that you'll get more touches and shots. But do you feel like there's a responsibility that comes with getting this kind of opportunity?

FVV: Yeah. For me it's more of a respect thing. The fact that I'm counted on is always good. But at the end of the day, I'm not going to change what I do, and they know that. And I think that's part of why my role grows, just because I'm not going to change who I am or what I do. I'm not going to become thirsty just because there's opportunity there. I'm going to keep playing the same way. My shot attempts may go up due to more minutes and more opportunity, but it's not going to be, like, all right, Kawhi's gone, now I have to be that. You know what I'm saying? I'm just going to play my game and try to become a better player and my natural progression and try to help the team win. And everything else will work itself out.

CBS: Do you want to be a coach one day?

FVV: I don't, but everybody keeps telling me I should. Hopefully I make so much money that I don't have to do anything when I'm done, but if I'm ever in need of a job, then I know I can always go back to coaching. I gotta work on my patience, though.

CBS: When was the last time you heard from Hubie Brown?

FVV: I haven't talked to him since the Finals. I need to get in touch with him. I'm gonna try to find his number, give him a holler. But I'm sure I'll see Hubie soon. I don't know how many ESPN games we'll get now, but I'm sure I'll see him soon. I might take him out for dinner or something. I owe him a dinner and a drink at least.

CBS: You actually know him a bit, right?

FVV: That was the best part. Over the last two years, me and Hubie developed a good relationship. I watch a lot of games back, and so hearing him talk -- this was before I even blew up -- just how complimentary he was of me, I just wanted to meet him. We'd talk a lot, like before shootarounds, after shootarounds, before I shoot. He obviously did a lot more radio this year. So we had a chance to speak and meet. And he's a legend. It's been dope to build that relationship with him.

CBS: And the vote could have come from anyone, but it came from him.

FVV: Yeah. The fact that it was Hubie, you know. A lot of where your criticism and praise comes from has to do with who's saying it. It meant a lot more coming from him.