VanVleet confident he can play another 10 years! Reveals last year's severe injury experience: once broke down in tears

On June 27, Beijing time, Rockets guard Fred VanVleet opened up on the latest episode of his podcast about his ACL and meniscus tear injury from last year.

It happened a week before the 2025-26 training camp, during a team retreat in the Bahamas, when he suffered the torn ACL and meniscus in a scrimmage. A month later, he spoke to the media about the injury and surgery with calm composure, vowing to come back stronger. But on the podcast, he revealed for the first time that for days after the injury, he refused to accept the harsh reality.

The 32-year-old guard recalled that the intra-squad scrimmage was intense on the day of injury. He wanted to set an example for his younger teammates: even though the team had traded for superstar Kevin Durant, when the playoffs got tough in April and May, they would still need to rely on him. So he went all out in that scrimmage.

Then, as he drove into the paint, his knee suddenly gave way.He described the pain as being hit hard by a shotgun blast. In an instant, the entire arena fell silent, and the music was turned off. He managed to get up and limped around the court.

"As I was walking, I thought to myself, 'Oh no, I've really hurt myself now,'" VanVleet recalled. "But it was only September, and I was comforting myself: 'It's okay, at most two or three weeks of rest, maybe miss the first preseason game, and I'll be fine soon.'"

He went back to his room for a nap,when he woke up, his knee was swollen as big as a basketball. A few days later, the swelling subsided, and he had an MRI. When he received the grim report, he insisted that the hospital had made a mistake and the doctors must have mixed up the scans.

"I immediately argued: 'This can't be my film, I definitely did not tear my ACL.'"

The doctor could only reply helplessly: "Bro, that's just the way it is, the ligament is indeed torn."

"I refused to accept it, and we argued like that for three whole days."

VanVleet had completely numbed himself, refusing to accept the injury result. He was supposed to meet with the doctor the next morning, but at 2 a.m., he went to the gym to practice and run, and ended up staying there all night long.

"I was emotionally broken, crying uncontrollably, and slept in the gym the whole night."

Multiple specialists consulted and reviewed the imaging results repeatedly, and everyone confirmed the injury. Yet he still argued with the doctor, "I feel great now, I can return to play in ten days. I've played through countless minor injuries like this before." The doctor could only reply, "No, you need surgery immediately."

Throughout the regular season, many fans were optimistic, hoping VanVleet could return at the end of the regular season and make the playoffs. VanVleet admitted that he himself held onto that fantasy, and that obsession helped him endure the long rehabilitation process.

"For the entire season, I kept telling myself: 'I'll be back soon.' But the reality was that my recovery was far from meeting the return standards. Yet it was this very hope that got me through the toughest part of recovery."

Beverley has also launched his own podcast. He said he felt especially awful hearing about his good friend's serious injury. He had been training with Rockets players all summer, and just a week before VanVleet got hurt, they were practicing together. The Rockets, after adding Durant, were highly anticipated. In the end, without VanVleet, they were eliminated in the first round again, a disappointing outcome.

"I was playing with the Rockets guys not long ago. They had just added Durant and should have been much stronger," Beverley remarked. He witnessed many Rockets players grinding in the gym and thought the team was about to take off.

VanVleet came from Wichita State University, went undrafted into the league, and has now completed his tenth NBA season. He said that upon returning from injury, he will play with a chip on his shoulder.

"Life is full of challenges, and one more obstacle will only add depth to my story.I can still play another ten years of basketball. Just wait and see, I will come back stronger than ever."