All-Star guard Fred VanVleet secured a massive three-year max contract from the Houston Rockets — and reminded us all to bet on yourself.
The Houston Rockets swindled Fred VanVleet away from the Toronto Raptors with a massive three-year, $130 million contract. VanVleet will now captain the ship in Houston as new head coach Ime Udoka rebuilds that culture from the ground up.
For VanVleet, this is the culmination of years of hard work and self-belief. The scrappy 6-foot-1 guard from Rockford, Illinois spent four years at Wichita State before going undrafted. He spent the next seven years in Toronto, winning the championship in 2019 and making the All-Star team in 2022.
Now with his first max contract locked up, VanVleet is reminding everyone of the power of betting on yourself.
Fred VanVleet pulls receipts to celebrate massive new contract with Houston Rockets
VanVleet's career is a real testament to good ol' fashioned hard work.
Despite being 6-foot-1 on a good day, VanVleet has carved out a lane to stardom in an era defined by size and versatility. He's one of the best playmakers in the sport, averaging 5.4 assists to only 1.7 turnovers for his career. VanVleet also gets up an unfathomable amount of threes, hitting more than his fair share (36.1 percent on 9.3 attempts per game over the last three years).
What's truly special about VanVleet, however, is how good he is on the defensive end. Most guards his size get played off the floor in the playoffs. VanVleet not only played, but thrived during the Raptors' title run in 2019. He's strong, smart, and above all else, he's relentless. A lot of players guard bigger than their listed height, but few embody the "heart over height" adage like VanVleet.
The Rockets are getting a world-class human and the exact kind of example-setting veteran that locker room desperately needs. There is understandable trepidation about Amen Thompson and Jalen Green potentially losing out on reps, but VanVleet can establish winning habits and show Houston's young core the ropes. It could end up being a positive for their development, even if he cuts into their playing time.
If nothing else, Thompson and Green — along with the entire roster — figures to benefit from VanVleet during their shared minutes on the court. VanVleet is a highly adaptable offensive player who doesn't need to dominate touches to positively impact winning.
Did the Rockets overpay? Perhaps, but with how bad the locker room and on-court habits have been in Houston lately, it's understandable to splurge on a leader who can help Ime Udoka establish his culture.
There will be plenty of vocal critics of this move, but if anyone's willing to bet on VanVleet's success, it's Fred VanVleet himself.
