The first max contract of the NBA off-season was handed out Friday night to none other than beloved Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet.
Unfortunately for Raptors fans, it wasn't with his long-time team, as the 29-year-old guard reportedly signed a massive three-year, $130 million contract with the Houston Rockets instead.
The $43 million Average Annual Value is the largest free agent signing in NBA history for a player that switched teams in the off-season.
VanVleet's entire NBA career has been a series of "bet on yourself" moves, as the guard out of Wichita State went undrafted before landing with the Raptors organization.
VanVleet quickly worked his way up the ranks with the Raptors 905, before becoming the under-study to all-time Raptors legend Kyle Lowry.
After Lowry departed, VanVleet took over the reins as the team's floor general. His gritty style of play combined with his clutch shot making made him an instant fan favourite with the Toronto faithful.
Plus, who doesn't love a good rags-to-riches story?
VanVleet's earned every penny of his new contract and rightfully was greeted with a ton of congratulatory messages Friday night, even from Raptors fans.
Here are some of the best reactions to VanVleet's massive payday:
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