Fred VanVleet Offers Candid Advice On How To 'Make It' In Today's NBA

Fred VanVleet has turned in quite the NBA resume.

The Houston Rockets guard will enter his ninth season in 2024, boasting career averages of 15.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game on 40.4 percent shooting.

Undrafted out of Wichita State, VanVleet's secured one All-Star selection and an NBA championship. He is viewed as one of the league's most revered backcourt players.

But how has the six-foot, 197-pound sharpshooter been able to consistently be an imposing threat with all of the changes that the NBA has endured throughout the last decade?

VanVleet explains in a recent post on X the guide for players to achieve similar long-term success.

"If you are six feet.. 6-1 or under. Unless you are Trae Young, you need to be picking up full-court. You need to be a problem on defense.. Causing problems. Whether you know how to guard or not. Just fight. And then you gotta be able to shoot the three. Everything else in between, is in between. Whether you got a floater, whether you finish, whatever. But if you can't catch and shoot at a high clip as an undersized guard, it's going to be hard for you to make a long career in the NBA."

VanVleet's adaptability as an undersized NBA guard over the course of his career has been remarkable, which makes his advice hold considerable weight.

He'll be an ideal mentor for the Rockets' young talent, just as he was during the 2023 campaign. It'll be interesting to see the effect he has on rookie first-round pick Reed Sheppard, who has impressed thus far in the Vegas Summer League.