Fred VanVleet has officially signed his three-year, $130 million contract with the Houston Rockets and the NBA champion is ready to get to work.
VanVleet knows many people think the Rockets overpaid to get him, which is why he’s motivated to prove his doubters wrong.
“They don’t want me to be anybody but myself,” VanVleet said. “And I know people are crazy about the number, but the league is growing every year and that number won’t be that number in a few years. So I know it’s a shock factor with the narrative that I have around me as an undrafted guy, but I’m going to work every day to make sure I prove every penny.”
VanVleet averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season for the Toronto Raptors. He shot 39.3% from the floor, 34.2% from beyond the arc and 89.8% from the free-throw line.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Fred VanVleet & Houston Rockets Updates
VanVleet, who is an undrafted player out of Wichita State, has career averages of 14.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. The Illinois native captured the 2019 championship with the Raptors over the Golden State Warriors in six games.
The Rockets won only 22 games last season. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2020. New head coach Ime Udoka wants to establish a winning culture in Houston and adding VanVleet will help that cause since the guard is a proven winner who can score and facilitate at a high level.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Fred VanVleet & Houston Rockets Updates
“I think just coming in and setting the tone and just bringing a professional approach from day one, I think it’s going to be a whole total new feel with what they’ve had between myself and Ime and just some of the other veterans that we’ve added,” VanVleet said. “The young guys have a lot of talent, and we just got to kind of mesh it and mold it the best we can to be able to build a winner.”
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