De’Aaron Fox: ‘I’ve never been the type of person that wants a big market’

But the prevailing theme of this Kings season is clear. Help Fox have the best two-way season of his career. Give him new help in the form of a teammate from Kentucky, Malik Monk, former Atlanta guard Kevin Huerter and promising rookie Keegan …

But the prevailing theme of this Kings season is clear. Help Fox have the best two-way season of his career. Give him new help in the form of a teammate from Kentucky, Malik Monk, former Atlanta guard Kevin Huerter and promising rookie Keegan Murray. And if all goes according to plan, help validate Fox’s decision to stay loyal to a small market team that has been believing in him for so many years now. “I’ve never been the type of person that wants a big market,” Fox said. “(So) if I can go to a small market, and then win, those are the types of things that I feel like are more important to me. It’s being able to bring winning back to the city. That is definitely my goal.”

Source: Sam Amick @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

James Ham @James_HamNBA
“We had silly turnovers…I had a lot of turnovers today.” -De’Aaron Fox – 12:48 AM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
De’Aaron Fox is the first Kings player with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a season opener since Oscar Robertson in 1966. That was back when they were still the Cincinnati Royals. @ESPNStatsInfo – 12:46 AM
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Crusher of a season-opening loss for the Kings in sold out Sacramento tonight. Got 33 points from De’Aaron Fox, six 3s from Kevin Huerter, but stumbled late vs Blazers team that profiles as play-in competition. Portland turned game going small (Grant at center) vs Sabonis. – 12:39 AM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and eight turnovers vs. the Blazers. He went 12 of 21 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range. – 12:37 AM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
This star De’Aaron Fox performance is everything the Kings could ask for. He’s been awesome tonight. – 12:22 AM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox has 33 points in tonight’s game vs. the Trail Blazers. He is just the sixth player in the Sacramento era with 30 points or more in a season opener. – 12:17 AM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
De’Aaron Fox is up to 29 points in tonight’s game. This marks the highest point total in a home opener of his career.
Previous high was last year: 27 points at Portland, 10/20/21. – 12:16 AM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
50 points combined for the new Sacramento Kings backcourt. 29 for De’Aaron Fox. 21 for Kevin Huerter.
Kings lead 98-97 with 5:55 to go. – 12:13 AM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Kings say guard De’Aaron Fox is up to 29 points in tonight’s game vs. POR. This marks the highest point total in a home opener of his career.
Previous: 27 points at POR, 10/20/21 – 12:12 AM
Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Kings and Trail Blazers knotted 84-84 headed to the 4th in Sacramento. De’Aaron Fox with 27 points (10/16), Kevin Huerter with 20 points. Portland led by Jerami Grant’s 18. – 12:01 AM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
De’Aaron Fox is feeeeling it. He’s up to 24 points on 9-14/4-6/2-2 shooting with six rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes. – 11:42 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
If I’ve learned anything from tonight’s game it’s that De’Aaron Fox & Kevin Huerter need to be in the 3-Point contest. Make it happen NBA. – 11:38 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
De’Aaron Fox in the 1st half vs Blazers
18 pts / 8-10 FG / 6 rebs / 3 asts / 1 stl in 17 minutes
Kings lead 55-51 at half time. Fox is all over the place. #SacramentoProud – 11:21 PM
Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
Blazers trail 55-51 at Sacramento at the half. Lillard has 11 points and six assists but is just 3 of 11 from the field. Grant is 1 of 6 but has 9 points thanks mostly to six made free throws. De’Aaron Fox has 18 points for the Kings. Blazers at one point led by 14. – 11:20 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Halftime: Kings 55, Blazers 51
De’Aaron Fox has 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. He’s 6 of 10 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Just the 14th time in his career he has made four or more from long distance. – 11:18 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
De’Aaron Fox starts cooking early. His spirit is up and the energy is contagious. #SacramentoProud – 11:13 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
De’Aaron Fox is a three point shooter. 4/5 from deep now. Up to 18 points. – 11:12 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
De’Aaron Fox all the way to the cup. Kings take the lead 45-44. – 11:10 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Most encouraging thing so far is the way De’Aaron Fox is shooting 3s. So far tonight he’s 3 of 4 from long distance. – 10:56 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
De’Aaron Fox has 13 points & 3 3ptrs.
Next highest King is Barnes at 5.
Kings have 29 points after 16 minutes. – 10:56 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
De’Aaron Fox 2/2 from 3pt range. Kings 3/6 here early. – 10:16 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
De’Aaron Fox opens the game with a 3-pointer. Crowd is buzzing. Loud chants of “DE-FENSE” on the first defensive possession. – 10:13 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
De’Aaron Fox starts the scoring for the 2022-23 season with a triple. – 10:12 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
De’Aaron Fox opens the Kings season with a three-pointer. – 10:12 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Kings starters vs. Blazers:
G De’Aaron Fox
G Kevin Huerter
F Harrison Barnes
F KZ Okpala
C Domantas Sabonis – 9:43 PM

More on this storyline

For two hours a day inside that air conditioning-less gym, the foundation of this crucial relationship was being built. And as Recee would share on social media days later, when she declared to the basketball world that you “can’t say he doesn’t care,” they even cut the trip short to begin a five-day-a-week routine with Loucks in San Diego. “I feel like it was the best summer that I’ve had,” Fox said. “The stars are aligning in life and basketball for me, and I feel like (this is) the best it’s ever been for me as a player and for me as a man. Getting married, having a great honeymoon, having a great summer, having a coach like Mike be hired and then his staff. … I feel like a lot has lined up for things to go right.” -via The Athletic / October 21, 2022
They had all seen his sluggish start, how the 15 pounds of muscle he added in the previous summer seemed to slow him down and contribute to his early struggles. They had all seen him get better over time, with the pounds falling off as the season wore on and his production rising as a result. And the proof, which was presented to him in the form of a powerpoint chart inside the team’s offices, made it clear that a return to his lighter, speedier self was in order. “I definitely think (the extra weight) hurt me,” said Fox, who was 200 pounds then and is 185 now. “I’d never put on weight like that before. It was different. So we went into the summer like, ‘We’re not doing that.’ The data showed that I was playing my best between certain weights, and then at 200 I wasn’t playing too well. -via The Athletic / October 21, 2022