Houston Rockets point guard Fred Van Vleet isn’t a hidden gem for his team, but it seems like the former All-Star has gone under the radar in recent seasons. The former NBA champion has plenty of experience, and when you combine that with his skills on both sides of the ball, the Rockets could return to the playoffs thanks in part to VanVleet.
The 30-year-old appeared in his first All-Star Game in 2022 and averaged 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists last season as the Rockets improved to 19 wins from 2023 to 2024. Houston went 41-41 and nearly made the play-in tournament as VanVleet tried to find his way with his new team.
VanVleet’s experience is so valuable because he’s played on the league’s biggest stage. He broke out in the 2019 NBA Finals, averaging 14.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 32.4 minutes per game. He was instrumental in the Toronto Raptors winning their first NBA title.
In his new home with the Rockets, VanVleet is even better than he was with Toronto in 2019, and has shown it on both sides of the ball. His 8.1 assists rank seventh in the league, even in a season where Houston’s shooting was an issue. On the other side of the ball, VanVleet was an underrated defender for his size. He averaged 1.4 steals per game, contributing greatly to the Rockets’ elite defense.
This season, Houston has legitimate playoff hopes, and VanVleet could be a big part of that as he enters his second year with the organization.
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