Fred VanVleet

A half-decade removed from seeing the NBA’s pressures at their apex during a championship run, Fred VanVleet found that the challenges of the In-Season Tournament and quickly-draining shot clocks weren't anything he and his dribble couldn’t handle. Quick in his thinking, and even quicker in his release, the ninth-year floor general prepares himself to handle both at once after the Houston Rockets’ disorganized offense leaves the basketball swinging his way during the play clock’s final three seconds. Unworried, VanVleet disorients Donte DiVicenzo’s defensive stance with a rapid-fire crossover before calmly launching a 31-foot bucket through the nylon, keeping the Minnesota Timberwolves an arm’s length away on the scoreboard. Equal parts accurate and aggressive on November 26, 2024, VanVleet's extraordinary near-triple-double allowed for 27 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, and six triples. Under the guidance of their do-it-all point guard, the Rockets clinched West Group A in the NBA Cup, moving to an impressive 13-6 in the process.