Oftentimes, an old tweet resurfacing is bad news. Sometimes it’s an unsavory tweet. Other times, it’s an awful prediction. But on Friday, a seven-year-old tweet from Fred VanVleet resurfaced for all the right reasons.
VanVleet was a four-year player for Wichita State heading into the 2016 NBA Draft. But that draft came and went without VanVleet’s name being called.
That draft was held on June 23, 2016. Shortly after that draft was completed, at 12:52 a.m. on June 24, 2016, VanVleet sent out a three-word tweet: “Bet on yourself.”
Bet on yourself
— Fred VanVleet (@FredVanVleet) June 24, 2016
VanVleet signed with the Toronto Raptors and was a rotation player, averaging 27.5 minutes per game for the Raptors in 2019, a season that ended with an NBA Championship. He became a starter the following year and averaged better than 19 points a game over the next four seasons.
On Friday, the “bet” that VanVleet made on himself paid off — literally. He signed a three-year deal for $130 million with the Houston Rockets.
And as news of that contract broke, basketball fans looked back at the tweet from seven years ago and complimented VanVleet for his foresight and confidence.
This tweet aged extremely well.
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) July 1, 2023
Dude went undrafted, helped bring a title to Toronto and just signed for 3yrs/$130mill in Houston.
Thanks for everything, Freddy, including the advice. #WeTheNorth https://t.co/BXq0EodQ0K
— Ben McLean (@HeyBenMcLean) July 1, 2023
Dude won a ring with the Raptors and is reportedly getting a max deal from the Rockets. Not bad for someone who was never drafted.
The lesson here, kids? Never let the opinion of others dictate your future. https://t.co/5wEVuHLfcj— Mike Popovich (@mpopovichREP) July 1, 2023
Fred Van Vleet
2016
Aging like a fine wine
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/IScAesZW7Y
— Sean Connor (@srchoops) July 1, 2023
legend at the bank https://t.co/VopU9vFZo6
— Pratik (@PatelESPN) July 1, 2023
7 years later… https://t.co/1y4w1MR2JL
— Law Murray 🐦🔥 (@LawMurrayTheNU) July 1, 2023
If nothing else, VanVleet’s message is one that should be heeded by players who were not selected in the recently concluded 2023 NBA Draft. Things can still work out in a big way.
