NBA Star Fred VanVleet Recalls Getting Confronted at Church Over $3K Parlay

Fred VanVleet says fans are now bringing betting grievances to church.

NBA Star Fred VanVleet Recalls Getting Confronted at Church Over $3K Parlay

Fred VanVleet (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Fred VanVleet is sidelined for the 2025-26 season due to a torn ACL.
  • He was confronted by a fan at church over a $3,000 parlay loss.
  • The NBA faces increasing scrutiny over gambling-related incidents involving players.

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet has not made an appearance in the 2025-26 campaign. He tore his ACL during the offseason, which may rule him out for the entire season.

Over the last few years, fans have been confronting NBA stars over parlays. Sports bettors have increasingly gone from being furious supporters to harassers. Fans upset with failed wagers harass sportsmen in person and online. It has been a concern for a while now.

For example, stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant have encountered this before. Not so long ago, Jimmy Butler was confronted by a fan for not scoring 30 points in a game. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has warned people before confronting him over parlays.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has had his hands full with all the recent gambling allegations surrounding the NBA, which has resulted in the arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier by the FBI. There have been cases of NBA players getting involved in betting as well.

The players are under pressure because of the surge in legal sports betting in the US over the last few years. This is mainly from individuals who have lost money on fantasy contests and parlays. Nevertheless, the players are under extreme strain. No athlete or player would want to be forced to choose how their games will go.

Fred VanVleet made an appearance on the Club 520 podcast and narrated an incident where a fan approached him over a missed parlay at church.

The Internet don’t bother me. It’s the in-person one you got to be careful for. I had somebody run down on me in church … ‘N—a you f–ked up my parlay.’ In church. I said, ‘Damn.’ [It was for] $3,000 … I couldn’t believe it. But I mean it’s real out here.

While sports leagues have embraced the billions of dollars that come with legalizing betting, athletes themselves have received little protection. The majority of the harm occurs online, on social media sites with inadequate protection, despite the NBA’s efforts to keep an eye on threats and strengthen security.

Fred VanVleet is not confident about returning this season

Last season, VanVleet played a crucial role and helped the Rockets finish second place in the Western Conference. However, they were beaten in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors in seven games.

VanVleet joined Matt Barnes of All the Smoke, and Barnes asked the NBA champion and former All-Star guard for his return timetable. 

My goal is to come back. I don’t know how realistic it is but that’s just my mindset everyday in attacking the rehab. It’s challenging. As soon as you hit a checkpoint, there’s another checkpoint. I’m really not thinking about the dates right now. I’m just trying to hit those milestones and those checkpoints and places where I need to be. It’s probably not smart to put a date out there.

The Rockets have not officially ruled the 31-year-old out for the season. Sports science and medicine have improved significantly. However, an ACL tear is an injury that can end an athlete’s career.

Houston Rockets have been impressive without Fred VanVleet

When the Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant in the offseason, it signaled they were ready to make a championship run over the next two years. Unfortunately, VanVleet’s injury was a huge setback for the team heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

At 37 years old, Durant has shown no signs of slowing down. The two-time champion is currently averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 50 appearances this season.

Kevin Durant and his Houston Rockets teammates
Kevin Durant and his Houston Rockets teammates (Image via Rockets Wire/X)

Houston are coming off a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. They currently find themselves in fourth place in the highly competitive Western Conference standings with a 33-20 record. Their home record has been one of the best in the league as they have lost just seven out of their 25 games at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets have been a bit inconsistent since the turn of the year but have shown that they are still a contender in the West. As long as Durant and Alperen Sengun are fit and healthy, they will be a threat to the top teams.

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