Last week, everything felt surreal for Fred VanVleet. He helped the Houston Rockets secure a 135-106 victory against the Toronto Raptors at the Toyota Center on February 2. It was the first time in his career that he played against the Raptors as an opponent.
The Rockets and Raptors had a rematch on Friday night, which resulted in a 107-104 loss for Houston. VanVleet was unable to play due to a left adductor strain. However, his return to the Scotiabank Arena was significant since it was his first appearance since leaving in July.
Before the game, VanVleet told Inside the Rockets that he was unsure of what to expect. Upon arriving at the arena during morning shootaround, the Raptors celebrated one of their greatest players in franchise history.
“I was obviously excited about making the trip,” VanVleet said. “It was good to visit some people and spend time at some of my favorite places. [Toronto] is definitely one of my favorite places in the world.
“I thought I was going to be alright not playing. I’ve played hurt enough in my career and know my body. I fought with the training staff, but it did not make sense for me to play. I was okay with that until I got here. I am a little bit sad. But Overall, happy to be here.”
The Raptors welcomed VanVleet with a “Welcome Back Champ” billboard outside the arena. During the Rockets’ first timeout at the 7:38 mark of the first quarter, VanVleet received a tribute video and a standing ovation.
When VanVleet signed with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent in 2016, the team was vastly different from what it is now. Only three players from last season – Scottie Barnes, Chris Boucher, and Jakob Poeltl – were his former teammates, and Boucher is the sole remaining player from their 2019 championship roster. Despite this, VanVleet played a crucial role in the team’s success over the past five years, perhaps second only to Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.
VanVleet’s contributions to the Raptors were recognized when he was named an All-Star in 2022, becoming the seventh player in franchise history to receive the honor. However, his most significant impact came during the team’s championship run, where he averaged 14.0 points and 2.2 assists in 32.4 minutes per game during the six-game series against the Golden State Warriors.
Although VanVleet has moved on to a new chapter in his career, he still holds the Raptors close to his heart. “That’s a place I called home for several years,” he said. “Being back in that building, so much history. But all good things come to an end. That era that I was a part of, that chapter closed. I’ve opened up a new one, and I am excited about what the future holds for them as well.”
VanVleet’s impact on the Raptors is evident in his career statistics with the team. He has scored 6,090 total points, ranking him eighth all-time in franchise history in scoring. He is also third in assists (2,199) and second all-time in 3-point field goals made (2,684).
