De’Aaron Fox emerged as a breakout star for the Kings last season, just his second in the NBA, but that's not changing his approach to where he wants to play next.
The 21-year-old guard indicated he doesn't want to leave Sacramento anytime soon because of the atmosphere that comes with playing in a small market.
Even though there's been a trend with young stars shining in small markets and then moving on to become a part of a bigger market (see: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), Fox says that's not necessarily his end goal.
“I don’t crave to be in a big market,” Fox said (via ONE37pm). “After last season, there was a buzz in Sacramento. Everyone in Sacramento is a Kings fan. If we start making the playoffs, or if we become a championship contender, the entire city is going to go nuts. That’s the difference between a big market and a small one.”
Fox appeared to be set to play in the FIBA World Cup next month in China, but withdrew from Team USA to focus on his third season in the NBA. He averaged 17.3 points with 7.3 assists last season and will be eligible for a contract extension next summer.
Fox said his focus heading into this season will be to become more consistent.
“Some of the down games that I had, you can’t really have if you’re trying to make it to the playoffs, trying to have a deep run," Fox said (via The Athletic). "Just trying to remain consistent throughout the entire season.”
The guard has received high praise from around the league, including Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who said “no one in the league” is faster than Fox.
“It’s one thing to be fast and out of control, but he’s fast and under control," Mitchell said. "He knows what he’s doing, and he knows how to get to his spots.”
The Kings finished ninth in the Western Conference last year with a 39-43 record, missing the playoffs for a 13th straight season.