UPDATE: Fred VanVleet on the Cover of Sports Illustrated

Auburn grad Fred VanVleet is having an huge year for the unbeaten Wichita State Shockers. The sophomore is averaging 11.9 points and 5.2 assists per game and is getting national attention from places like Sports Illustrated.

UPDATE BELOW

He's also been named one of 23 watch list finalists for the 2014 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. And he's also been named to the 2014 Oscar Robinson Watch List as well.

But apparently we didn't know just how big Fred is in the state of Kansas:

See, he's billboard-sized!  That's a sign in Kansas City promoting the Shockers team and Wichita State in general. In case you can't see, the text says "#MySTATE is winning".

Direct from the Stateline to Kansas and the national stage, that's Rockford's own Fred VanVleet.

Thanks to Giovanni Garcia for the picture and Dave Schmidt for helping to bring it to our attention. And remember, for the the most comprehensive information about Stateline area prep and college sports visit StatelineSportsHub.

UPDATE: Just this morning Sports Illustrated released next week's cover story. It's not Kate Upton in a bikini, but for the Stateline area hoops fans it's still pretty good:

That would be Fred VanVleet, front and center, with the rest of the the Shockers' starters: (Left to right: Cleanthony Early, Tekele Cotton, Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker and Chadrack Lufile).