Rockets' Fred VanVleet Says He's Determined to 'Prove Every Penny' of $130M Contract

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet is ready for a new chapter of his career after seven years in Toronto, telling ESPN's Tim MacMahon that he will "work every day to make sure I prove every penny" on his three-year, $130 million contract.

"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, an undrafted free agent out of Wichita State, spent the first seven years of his career with the Raptors. He won an NBA championship there in 2019 and earned All-Star honors in 2021. He also finished as the first runner-up among guards in 2022 All-Defensive Team voting.

Last season, VanVleet averaged 19.3 points on 39.3 percent shooting, 7.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game while earning a career-high 117 offensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.

He declined a 2023-24 player option after the season and cashed in with the Rockets.

Now the 29-year-old takes on a brand-new challenge with the Rockets, a very young team featuring exciting talents such as Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and more. But Houston is in sore need of some veteran leadership, and that's where VanVleet comes in.

He'll be flanked by a few other newcomers who have been around the block in Jeff Green and Dillon Brooks, and the team also signed longtime NBA assistant and former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to lead the way.

VanVleet spoke about setting a professional standard in Houston, which finished last in the Western Conference at 22-60.

"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."

He also spoke to Ryan Clark on The Pivot about how important it was for Houston to get into the playoffs.

For now, eyes are on the summer league team as young players develop their games in Las Vegas. Houston will play next on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons.