Fred VanVleet just doubled down on his Spurs villain status

Fred VanVleet is probably public enemy number one on Spurs fans' most-hated players list for the disrespect he showed former coach Gregg Popovich in 2019 after Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors to the first title in their franchise's history. Maybe the disdain has faded a bit since it's been seven years, but I guess that's why the Rockets point guard decided it was time to reup on the contempt.

*Explicit language*

VanVleet hasn't played a single game this season. The Houston point guard tore his ACL in September, so he's been rehabbing ever since. I would say that's probably why he has time for podcasting, but Draymond Green plays and also finds time to get in front of the microphone. It's just the thing nowadays. Players want to share their thoughts, and sometimes they say silly things like this.

VanVleet comes off as jealous of the Spurs

First off, the ex-Raptor contradicts himself because one of the first things he asks is whether the Spurs have won a playoff series. However, the Rockets have only been to the playoffs once in the two years he's been in H-Town, and that experience ended early on their home floor. They had the number two seed last season and lost to the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors in seven games.

So, while he's out there in podcast world talking like Houston has accomplished something, they're practically in the same boat as San Antonio. Congratulations for making it to the postseason one year earlier and winning some regular-season games while the Spurs were rebuilding, but what happened in those years doesn't matter one bit.

Secondly, all professional sports operate based on the "What have you done for me lately?" mantra. The 2024-25 campaign is over with. What's happening now is the Spurs have had a meteoric rise, and there's legitimate reason for everyone's excitement. He himself went down the list of uber-talented players on this roster.

No other team in the league has the kind of young talent the Silver and Black do. Houston felt that firsthand when Victor Wembanyama and company stomped a mudhole in them not too long ago. Sounds like a reason to be excited to me.

Last season, the Rockets were talked about heavily because of their jump to the two-seed after being a lottery team the year before. San Antonio has made that leap now, and now he wants everyone to pump the brakes? That's not how this works.

I'll admit that they didn't get nearly the same amount of publicity as Mitch Johnson's ball club is getting now, but they didn't and still don't have an alien on their roster who projects to be possibly the greatest basketball player of all time. Acting like you don't understand why the hype train has left the station just proves the Spurs are already making one of their most heated rivals uncomfortable.