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In a unique turn of events, De’Aaron Fox will step onto the floor of Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center as an opponent for the first time in his professional career, as the San Antonio Spurs face off against the Kings tonight at 10 EST, available on NBA League Pass.
Selected as the fifth overall pick by Sacramento in the 2017 draft, Fox logged 521 games (including both regular season and playoffs) with the Kings before being traded to the Spurs at the deadline on February 3rd.
During the 2022-23 season, he received the inaugural Kia Clutch Player of the Year Award, showcasing his ability to excel in critical moments, which propelled the Kings to their best season in almost twenty years. Sacramento notched 48 victories, secured third place in the Western Conference, and ended a historic playoff drought by reaching the postseason for the first time in 17 years.
Fox ranks among the top five in several franchise categories during his tenure with the Kings:
Having made five game-winning shots within the last ten seconds of games in Sacramento, Fox delighted Spurs supporters just last week when he scored a stepback jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining to clinch a victory over the Grizzlies on March 1.
In his initial 13 outings with San Antonio – before the All-Star center Victor Wembanyama was sidelined for the season due to a blood clot, Fox played in only five games with him – he has averaged 19.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per contest.
Adjusting to a new role that is different from his position as a primary scoring option for the Kings, Fox’s usage rate has decreased by almost three percent, and his scoring has dipped by nearly six points per game, while both assists and steals have seen an uptick.
What can we anticipate from Fox as he returns to familiar territory?
After Sacramento’s most recent home game on February 24 – just before embarking on a four-game road trip – the Kings teased their upcoming matchup against the Spurs on the scoreboard, featuring a graphic that included both Zach LaVine and Fox.
This prompted boos from the crowd when the image appeared, possibly hinting at the kind of reception Fox might encounter on Friday, especially since many fans believe he had a role in orchestrating the trade.
One thing Kings supporters have learned from watching Fox over the past seven-plus seasons: he tends to perform at his best when fueled by anger. If the crowd responds with jeers, be prepared for an electric performance from him.
