Fred VanVleet has always gambled on his own talent. Those bets keep paying off.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that it would be a “legitimate league wide surprise” if point guard Fred VanVleet doesn’t agree with Houston Friday.
“It has reached the point when I speak to various teams that it would be a legitimate leaguewide surprise now if Fred VanVleet doesn't strike verbal agreements to join the Houston Rockets by Friday night. VanVleet, is expected to receive 2 YR/$83.6M”
— . (@GTJGotNext) June 29, 2023
-via Marc Stein pic.twitter.com/fI9Xg7HeAd
VanVleet opted out of his $22.82 million contract for next year with the Toronto Raptors. It’s safe to say that was a wise financial decision, as VanVleet’s expected two-year deal nearly doubled that salary.
The Raptors point guard went undrafted out of Wichita State, despite a college career that included a Final Four run and an undefeated regular season. VanVleet won a title in 2019, setting a Finals record with 16 three-pointers off the bench. He also made the All-Star team in 2022, but he’s also known for betting on himself.
Bet on yourself
— Fred VanVleet (@FredVanVleet) June 24, 2016
VanVleet tweeted that after he wasn’t picked in the first round in 2016, which comes with a guaranteed contract, he chose to become a free agent instead. That paid off, as VanVleet signed a series of lucrative deals: First $18 million for two years, then a four-year $85M deal in 2020, and now he’s likely to get nearly $84M. The latter two are the biggest contracts ever for an undrafted player.
Perhaps scouts didn’t believe in the diminutive VanVleet because of his small size, but he’s a hard-nosed defender and has developed into a great scorer and passer. He set the Raptors single-game record for assists in April.
Fred VanVleet just broke the Raptors' single-game assist record
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2023
20 PTS
5 REB
20 AST (career-high, franchise-record)
The second undrafted player in NBA history to drop 20 and 20 pic.twitter.com/ZrO3nUnUey
VanVleet also set the single-game scoring record for Toronto in 2021, and this is a franchise that had Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan.
54 PTS. 11 3PM. FRED. VANVLEET.@FredVanVleet goes off for a @Raptors franchise record 54, knocking down 11 of 14 threes in his historic performance! pic.twitter.com/4EYUJCoHdz
— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2021
Now he’ll take his talents to a Rockets team that’s heavy on young talent with potential but light on veteran leadership. He’ll start alongside Jalen Green as Houston switches from a rebuild to competing.
Plus, VanVleet gets to hit the free-agent market again at age 31, so he can bet on himself once again. We wouldn’t bet against him.
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