Ryan Anderson: 'With much given, much is expected'

A top priority for new Rockets forward Ryan Anderson is proving he is worthy of his four-year contract worth $80 million.

"The first thing that comes to mind is with much given, much is expected, and I'm going to do the best job I possibly can to live up to that deal and exceed it." Anderson said in a telephone interview with FOX 26 Sports.

"It's more money than you can ever imagine. I'm in shock. I'm very humbled."

Anderson was amazed that owner Leslie Alexander was involved in the meeting that cemented his future with the Rockets.

"That was a huge thing for me, to see an owner that committed and that dedicated to the players that he's recruiting and trying to get," Anderson said.

"I still look at myself as the chubby, little high school kid who nobody's recruiting to go to college. The dream of the NBA, is just far out of my grasp, and I'm sitting here with the Houston Rockets owner wanting me to come play basketball for him. That to me is just so humbling."

One of the things Anderson wanted to do during his NBA career is to get the chance to play for Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni.

He can check that box.

"Ever since I've seen his system and his style of play I knew that was the style I wanted to play under," Anderson said.

"He's a great guy, just a very, very genuine, good guy. You don't run across a lot of coaches like him. He's very set and secure in what works. He's real excited with the group that we have because we can really just play a pure style of his form of basketball.

"I can't wait to play in this system. I can't wait to play for Coach D'Antoni. I can't wait to play with James Harden and company."

Anderson is thrilled to be on the same team with the Rockets superstar.

"There's nobody I would rather play on the court with in the NBA," Anderson said.

"A big part of Houston's pitch to me was the fact that guys like Trevor Ariza were getting 200 wide open three-point shots. For me, I haven't had a wide open three-point shot in a long time. I know that the best player that I can play around and that's going to help me and I'm going to help him, is somebody that's going to be able to attack the paint and attract a whole lot of people. Obviously, everybody knows how much of a force he is going to the basket, how talented he is, how dominant he is."

In fact Harden had made it clear to to Anderson many times that he wanted to play with him.

So Anderson knew he was on the Rockets' radar.

"You do keep hearing Houston. You kept hearing Houston," Anderson said. "A lot of times when James and I would see each other, we'd just say 'is this going to happen?'

"James would let me know he wanted me to be there, and that meant a lot to me. I'm more than excited to get on the court with the best player in the league, in my opinion."