Houston Rockets Star, Former NBA Champion Earns Surprising Praise

The Houston Rockets are one of the most interesting teams in the NBA heading into next season thanks to their tantalizing stable of young talent.

However, one of the most important players to the Rockets’ potential success in the 2024-25 campaign will be veteran guard Fred VanVleet.

VanVleet joined Houston via free agency last summer and enjoyed a solid debut campaign with the team, playing in 73 games and averaging 17.4 points, 8.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 36.8 minutes per game. He also averaged a career-high .150 win shares per 48 minutes.

Of course, the 30-year-old spent the first seven years of his career with the Toronto Raptors, where he won an NBA championship in 2019.

While VanVleet played a major role on that Raptors title team, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam got most of the shine.

VanVleet has certainly gotten more recognition since then, like in 2021-22 when he made an All-Star appearance. But, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes thinks the microwave scorer is still underappeciated.

As a matter of fact, Hughes thinks the Rockets’ floor general is the most underrated player of the last five years.

“Start with VanVleet posting the league’s 21st-ranked VORP total since 2019-20, which rates ahead of Devin Booker, Pascal Siakam, Jrue Holiday, Paul George, DeMar DeRozan and Kyrie Irving—among many other more decorated stars,” Hughes wrote. “Then thin-slice the data to uncover FVV’s other ridiculous statistical achievements.”

Can Fred VanVleet’s experience help the Rockets get back to the playoffs?

The Rockets just missed out on the playoffs this past season, going 41-41. However, with a young core that features Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. plus a wily veteran in VanVleet, Houston could ultimately back it to the postseason in 2025, even in the rugged Western Conference.

VanVleet’s experience will be crucial in the Rockets’ potential run to the playoffs, just as it did last season when Houston reeled off 11 straight wins in March.

For a young squad like the Rockets, having a battle-tested player with championship experience like VanVleet pays dividends, especially when that player can be your best scorer on many nights.

The West will be tough next season, but Fred VanVleet could very well be the driving force behind Houston possibly making the playoffs.

The Rockets have made the postseason each of the last four years.

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