The Sacramento Kings have endured one of the longest playoff droughts in NBA history, a 16-year stretch that tested the patience of even the most loyal fan base. During that time, the franchise cycled through lottery picks, coaching changes, and front-office overhauls, searching for a player who could reverse the losing culture. That search ended in June 2017 when the Kings selected De’Aaron Fox with the fifth overall pick. In the years since, Fox has not only developed into one of the league's most explosive point guards but has also become the unequivocal cornerstone of the Kings' revival. His blistering speed, improved shot-making, and growing leadership have transformed Sacramento into a legitimate playoff contender, ending the drought in 2023 and setting the stage for sustained success.

Early Life and High School Stardom

Born in New Orleans and raised in Houston, Texas, De’Aaron Fox was a standout athlete from an early age. His father, Aaron Fox, played college basketball at little-known Tabor College, and his mother, Lorretta Fox, was a track star. That combination of speed and basketball IQ was evident in Fox's game by the time he reached Cypress Lakes High School. As a senior, he averaged 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, leading his team to a 33–2 record and earning McDonald’s All-American honors. Scout after scout praised his elite first step and open-court acceleration, calling him the fastest player with the ball in the entire 2016 high school class.

Kentucky Wildcats: One-and-Done with a Signature Moment

Fox committed to the University of Kentucky, a program known for churning out NBA-ready guards under John Calipari. In his lone season in Lexington, Fox shared the backcourt with Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe, forming one of the most exciting guard trios in college basketball. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, shooting 47.8% from the field. But his defining moment came in a head-to-head matchup against future No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz and the Washington Huskies. In front of a national audience, Fox dropped 39 points on Fultz’s head, showcasing a mid-range jumper that had previously been a question mark. That performance cemented Fox as a top-five pick and set the tone for his professional career.

Rookie Season: Blazing Speed, Raw Shooting

The Kings drafted Fox with the expectation that he would be the point guard of the future, but his rookie season (2017–18) was a mixed bag. Fox averaged 11.6 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game. His speed was immediately apparent—he could blow by any defender in the league and get to the rim at will. However, his outside shooting was a major liability. He shot just 30.7% from three-point range and 72.3% from the free-throw line, numbers that allowed defenses to sag off him. Despite those shortcomings, Fox flashed playmaking ability and defensive quickness, finishing the season with 1.0 steals per game. The Kings won only 27 games, but Fox showed enough promise that the front office saw a foundation piece.

The Leap Under Dave Joerger

In his second season, Fox began to ascend. Under head coach Dave Joerger, the Kings played at a faster pace, perfectly suited to Fox’s strengths. His scoring jumped to 17.3 points per game, and his assists rose to 7.3 per game while increasing his three-point percentage to 37.1%. The Kings improved to 39–43, narrowly missing the playoffs but demonstrating tangible progress. Fox was named Western Conference Player of the Week in December 2018, and he finished second in the NBA in total fast-break points. His chemistry with veteran center Willie Cauley-Stein and sharpshooter Buddy Hield created one of the league’s most entertaining transition attacks. For the first time in years, Sacramento basketball was fun again, and Fox was the engine.

The 2019-20 Season: All-Star Snub and Injury Setback

The momentum stalled in the 2019–20 season. Joerger was fired after a reported rift with general manager Vlade Divac, and Luke Walton took over. Fox suffered a severe ankle sprain early in the season that cost him 17 games, and the Kings never recovered. Despite his absence, Fox posted career highs of 21.1 points and 6.8 assists per game when healthy. He also shot a career-best 48.0% from the field. Many analysts felt Fox deserved an All-Star nod, but the West backcourt was stacked. The Kings finished 31–41 in the pandemic-shortened season, and Fox was left hungry for more.

Tyrese Haliburton Era: Two Point Guards or One?

In the 2020 NBA Draft, the Kings selected Tyrese Haliburton, a 6'5" point guard with incredible passing vision and a smooth shooting stroke. The pairing of Fox and Haliburton created a fascinating dynamic: Fox was the explosive slasher, Haliburton the methodical floor general. For a season and a half, the duo coexisted, but the fit was always imperfect. Fox’s usage rate dropped, and he struggled to find rhythm playing off the ball. Meanwhile, Haliburton’s efficiency made him a fan favorite. The Kings’ front office, under new general manager Monte McNair, faced a tough decision: keep both and try to build a unique two-point-guard offense, or trade one to address other weakness.

Trade Deadline 2022: Going All-In on Fox

In February 2022, McNair made the bold move to trade Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in a package that brought back two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis. The trade signaled that the Kings were committing to Fox as the franchise point guard for the long haul. Fox publicly embraced the move, saying, "I think it shows that they believe in me." The trade also allowed Fox to play his natural style: aggressive, on-ball, and attacking the paint. Paired with Sabonis’s elite screening and passing, Fox’s game reached new heights.

The 2022-23 Season: Playoff Drought Ends, All-Star Debut

The 2022–23 season was the breakthrough everyone had been waiting for. Under first-time head coach Mike Brown, the Kings installed a read-and-react offense that maximized Fox’s decision-making. Fox averaged a career-high 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 51.2% from the field and 32.4% from three. More importantly, he elevated his game in the clutch. Fox led the NBA in clutch scoring (total points in games within five points in the final five minutes), earning him the league’s first-ever Clutch Player of the Year Award. He became an All-Star for the first time, starting the game alongside the likes of Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

The Kings finished with a 48–34 record, securing the third seed in the Western Conference and snapping the longest playoff drought in NBA history at 16 years. Fox’s leadership during that season was undeniable. He set the tone in practice, held teammates accountable, and thrived under Brown’s demanding defensive schemes. In the first round against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, Fox elevated his game even further, averaging 27.4 points, 7.7 assists, and 5.2 rebounds in the seven-game series—including a 38-point outburst in Game 4. Though the Kings ultimately fell in seven games, Fox had proved he was a playoff-caliber star.

Statistical Milestones and Career Achievements

Beyond team success, Fox has stacked individual accolades. Through the 2023-24 season, he has surpassed 10,000 career points, becoming the fifth-fastest Kings player to reach that mark, trailing only Oscar Robertson, Mitch Richmond, Chris Webber, and Peja Stojakovic. He owns the franchise record for most consecutive games with at least 20 points (25, set in the 2022-23 season). In 2023, he set a career-high with 49 points in a win against the Utah Jazz, tying for the sixth-most points in a single game in Kings history. His career averages of 18.8 points and 6.3 assists per game place him among the elite point guards of his generation.

Defensive Growth Under Mike Brown

One underrated aspect of Fox’s development is his defense. Early in his career, he gambled too much and struggled to fight through screens. Under Brown, Fox has become a more disciplined defender. He averaged 1.6 steals per game in the 2023-24 season, sixth among point guards. His quick hands and anticipation have generated easy fast-break opportunities. While he may never be an All-Defensive team candidate, Fox has transformed from a liability into a net positive on that end.

Leadership and Off-Court Impact

Fox’s value extends beyond the box score. Teammates and coaches consistently praise his work ethic. After the 2022 trade, Fox took it upon himself to mentor younger players like Keegan Murray and Davion Mitchell. He organizes off-season workouts in Sacramento and is often the first to arrive at the practice facility. During the 2023 playoff run, Fox played through a fractured index finger in Game 5 against Golden State, a testament to his toughness. He has also become a community leader, hosting youth basketball camps and donating to local schools. Fox’s calm, even-keeled demeanor contrasts with the hyper-competitive fire that burns underneath, and that balance has helped stabilize a franchise that once lurched from crisis to crisis.

The Sabonis-Fox Partnership: Modern NBA Engine

The pairing of Fox and Sabonis has become the engine of the Kings’ offense. Sabonis, a two-time All-Star center, is one of the league’s best passing big men. His high-post handoffs and rim rolls create space for Fox to attack. Conversely, Fox’s gravity on drives opens up Sabonis for lobs and kick-outs. In the 2023-24 season, the Kings ranked third in offensive rating, and the Sabonis-Fox two-man game was the primary reason. Defenses cannot simply load up on Fox because Sabonis is a triple-threat out of the short roll. The chemistry has only deepened over time, with Fox trusting Sabonis to make the right read, and Sabonis knowing exactly where Fox wants the ball.

Challenges and Areas for Improvement

No player is perfect, and Fox has areas he continues to refine. His three-point shooting remains inconsistent; he shot 32.4% in 2022-23 and 36.9% in 2023-24—respectable but not elite. To take the next step, Fox needs to become a consistent 37-38% shooter from deep, especially on catch-and-shoot opportunities. His free-throw percentage also fluctuates; in 2023-24 he shot 76.6%, good but not great for a point guard who gets to the line five times per game. Additionally, Fox occasionally falls in love with difficult mid-range pull-ups, which can make the offense stagnant. Under Brown, the Kings encourage three-pointers and layups, so Fox has worked to reduce those long twos. Defensively, he can still be overpowered by bigger guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Dončić, but his quickness helps him recover.

Contract and Commitment to Sacramento

In 2020, Fox signed a five-year, $163 million maximum rookie extension, a clear statement from both sides that he was the future. That contract runs through the 2025-26 season, with a player option for 2026-27. At 26 years old, Fox is entering his prime, and the Kings are building around that timeline. The team has surrounded him with complementary talent: Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Malik Monk (a close friend since their Kentucky days), and defensive specialist Keon Ellis. General manager Monte McNair has been aggressive in using future picks and salary cap exceptions to upgrade the roster, all with the goal of maximizing Fox’s championship window.

Legacy Within the Kings’ Franchise History

Sacramento has a rich history of point guards: Nate Archibald, who led the league in scoring and assists in 1973; Bobby Wanzer, a Hall of Famer from the Rochester days; and Mike Bibby, who led the 2002 team to within a whisker of the NBA Finals. Fox is beginning to insert his name into that conversation. He already has more career points than Bibby and more assists than any Kings point guard not named Oscar Robertson. If Fox leads Sacramento to a deep playoff run—multiple series wins, perhaps a Finals appearance—he will be remembered as the franchise’s greatest point guard. Given his trajectory, that is not a bold statement, but an expectation.

What the Future Holds

The Western Conference is brutal: Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and Phoenix all have legitimate title aspirations. But the Kings have shown they can hang with the best. With Fox driving the bus, Sacramento has a chance every night. The next step is consistency. The Kings must avoid the mid-season lulls that have plagued them—like a 1-6 stretch in January 2024 that dropped them from the top four to the play-in mix. Fox, as the leader, must set the standard. If he continues to improve his shooting, maintain his clutch excellence, and stay healthy, the Kings could vault into the second tier of contenders.

Beyond statistics, Fox represents something more: hope. For a generation of Kings fans who had never seen a playoff game in Sacramento, Fox is the player who ended the nightmare. He is the one who made basketball relevant again in a city that was once the heart of the NBA's small-market passion. He is not just the franchise cornerstone; he is the architect of a new era.

The rise of De’Aaron Fox is more than a player-development story. It is a lesson in patience, fit, and belief. The Kings believed in him when others questioned his shooting. He believed in himself when the organization was in turmoil. The result is a superstar point guard on the cusp of something special. As the 2024-25 season approaches, all eyes will be on Sacramento. And at the center of it all, number 5 will be leading the charge.

Further Reading and Resources