Here’s why Kings guard De’Aaron Fox was named NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week – Sacramento Bee
All-NBA point guard De’Aaron Fox was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after returning from an ankle injury to help the Kings extend their winning streak to six games.
Fox earned the Player of the Week award for the fourth time in his career. New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Kings center Domantas Sabonis was among other nominees in the West.
After missing five games with a sprained ankle, Fox returned to average 32.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.3 assists in four games last week. He shot 52.3% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range.
Fox has led the Kings to four consecutive games with at least 120 points, 30 assists and 15 3-point goals on 50% shooting or better from the field. Over that stretch, Sacramento was No. 1 in the NBA in field-goal percentage (.540) and offensive rating (126.5), tied for first in scoring (128.8 ppg), second in assists (32.0 apg), third in net rating (+13.6), fifth in 3-point shooting (.423) and eighth in defensive rating (112.9).
Fox is averaging 31.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 50.6% from the field and a career-best 41.7% from 3-point range. He is one of three players in the NBA who are scoring over 30.0 points per game while shooting better than 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Fox scored a season-high 43 points with eight rebounds and seven assists in an in-season tournament win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. He scored 30 points with a career-high-tying six 3-point goals in Sunday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Fox has scored 30 or more in four of his seven games this season with two 28-point games. He was tied with Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid for the league lead in scoring going into Monday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Fox has become the face of the franchise since the Kings selected him out of Kentucky with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He led the Kings to 48 wins and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference last season, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history after 16 consecutive losing seasons in Sacramento.
Fox was named an All-Star and All-NBA Third Team selection for the first time last season. Now, he is emerging as an early MVP candidate as the Kings try to build on last year’s success.
