NBA Playoffs: How Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Helps Young Players

With NBA All-Star credentials and a max contract, De’Aaron Fox could have exerted his status more forcefully in his new environment.

Instead, Fox eagerly joined the San Antonio Spurs in a mid-season trade last season partly because he wanted to experience something that eluded him through eight years with the Sacramento Kings.

He craved front office stability. He valued roster depth and continuity. He hungered for a realistic shot at winning an NBA championship.

Fox may receive his wish. The Spurs earned the No. 2 seed largely because Victor Wembanyama has established himself as a two-way star in just his third season. The Spurs have a 2-1 first-round series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers because their young backcourt (Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper) elevated their play while Wembanyama remains sidelined the past two games with a concussion-related symptoms. Even with Fox no longer operating as the franchise player as he did with the Kings, the Spurs view the 29-year-old Fox as critical in bridging the team’s present potential into future excellence.

“He is the most unsung reason why this has all worked just in terms of his participation and enthusiasm to make it all work,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of Fox. “We have a lot of guys that, whether they’ve been here or young guys with very high expectations for themselves. And it takes a lot of togetherness, collaboration and desire for the greater good of the group for this many young players to continue to put that at the forefront. He probably is the catalyst for that.”

That’s because Fox has mostly found a sweet spot with how to handle a potentially dueling role. He has produced enough to warrant his second All-Star appearance as a scorer (18.6 points on 48.6%) and playmaker (6.2 assists). He has still empowered the Spurs’ reigning Rookie of the Year guard (Castle) and this year’s No. 2 draft pick (Harper), even at the expense of his own play.

“I still try to affect the game, obviously. But I don’t have the ball as much as I was used to before that,” Fox said. “I think that helps continue to grow your game and also helps them grow their game. They’re going to have the ball a lot in their career. So I think us learning to play off of each other does nothing but help everybody.”

That’s because Fox, Harper and Castle have all learned how to play off and on the ball. They have figured out when to look for their shot and when to involve others. They have adjusted based off of opposing team defenses and player availability. They have varied when to play at a fast or slow pace.

Three years after winning the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award with a league-leading 194 points scored in the final five minutes, Fox ranked outside of the top 50 with 81.2 clutch points. In the playoffs, Fox has assumed a greater playmaking role (a team-leading 6.0 assists per game) partly out of deference to Castle (a team-leading 22.7 points per game). Fox carries a greater role as a starter than Harper, but he produced a team-leading 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting in a Game 3 win.

“He’s kind of the head of the snake and the one that controls the game, but he allows me and Steph to be us,” Harper said of Fox. “He’s done a great job with that. He also knows how to get one of us involved. I think his leadership, how he passes the ball and how he controls and slows the game has been really beneficial for us.”

Perhaps Spurs fans expected Fox to have a bigger role both throughout the regular season and during Wembanyama’s recent absence. After all, the Spurs signed Fox last summer to a four-year, $229 million contract extension through the 2029-30 season. In the playoffs, Fox has averaged a respectable 17.6 points and 6.0 assists per game. But he has shot only a combined 42.6% from the field and 28.6% from deep.

Yet, Fox has avoided pulling rank during Wembanyama’s absence and through most of the regular season.

“We have so many guys in this room that can put the ball in the basket,” Fox said. “For us, it’s about what shot we take. It’s not about the shot that I take or the shot that Steph takes or what Vic takes, or whatever it may be. We’re trying to get the best shot for us.”

No wonder the 20-year-old Harper has affectionally referred to the 28-year-old Fox as “Unc.” Fox didn’t greet Castle and Harper with unsolicited advice and references to his résumé. Instead, Fox greeted them with encouragement.

“He told me from day one to be myself and be aggressive and if I see an opportunity, to go get it,” Harper said. “If you’re going to mess up, make sure that you do it confidently.”

Both Castle and Harper learned how to do that on their own while Fox missed the first eight NBA games with a strained right hamstring. With exception to two other games to heal his adductor and lower back, Fox otherwise remained valuable. He cracked double figures in 65 out of 72 games. During that stretch, Fox scored at least 30 points in three games and at least 20 in 31 others. That did not compromise Fox’s playmaking role, though. He led the Spurs in assists (6.2) and recorded at least 10 assists in eight games.

“They’re both so talented,” Fox said of Castle and Harper. “A lot of what they do is just off instincts. So for me, it’s about giving them the keys to the test.”

Fox said those keys have just entailed offering “tidbits here or there.” Before the playoffs started, Fox stressed the importance in prioritizing every possession. He forewarned that the game will become more physical and that referees won’t call as many fouls. He outlined the need to rely on leg strength and balance to enable strong shooting performances through fatigue. Most importantly, Fox hasn’t shied away from elevating his game so long as it doesn’t disrupt theirs.

“I can’t say enough,” Johnson said of Fox. “Maybe he’s done it all.”