Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet recently opened up about the ACL injury that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2025-26 season. The former All-Star revealed it was an emotional time, especially with high expectations for both him and the team entering the year.
VanVleet admitted to going through denial after the injury, insisting he’d be able to recover within two weeks. After finding out that he needed surgery, the former 2019 NBA champion assured himself he would come back before the season was over. Unfortunately for Houston, that wasn’t the case. “The whole season, I’m like, ‘I’m coming back,’ but man, I wasn’t anywhere near coming back,” VanVleet said.
Prior to the injury, VanVleet had only played in fewer than 50 games in a year once, his rookie year during the 2016-17 season. Now, entering the 2026-27 campaign, the Wichita State alum aims to be fully healthy by training camp.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Houston’s Fred VanVleet opens up on emotional challenges of his ACL tear
Reporting by Mack Baltes, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mack Baltes, Rockets Wire | USA TODAY Network
