Just days after being part of a blockbuster NBA trade, former Kentucky Wildcat De’Aaron Fox thrived in his debut for the San Antonio Spurs.
“I think I was okay,” Fox said of his debut in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “I think I was really good in the first half, not very good in the second half. For this unit, what we did in the first half and especially in that last three minutes of the half is what can make this group special.”
Taking the court in what ultimately ended up being a 126-125 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Fox logged 24 points, 13 assists and five rebounds. Fox was the co-leading scorer for the Spurs alongside former No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Victory Wembanyama.
Fox became the first Spur in franchise history to log a 20-point-10-assist game in his debut.
“We didn’t know if I’d be ready,” Fox said to Salters. “The day the trade went down, (I) didn’t really do anything. Then, we had to fly, do physicals, a bunch of that stuff. I had to run on the treadmill yesterday.”
Fox had previously been averaging 25 points per game with 6.1 assists for the Sacramento Kings, the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2017.
While in California, Fox was the starting point guard and got a glimmer of success when the Kings won the Pacific Division, third in the Western Conference, but a first round loss to the Golden State Warriors ended those hopes and, less than two years later, Head Coach Mike Brown was fired and an apparent rebuild began, shipping Fox to San Antonio.
As for his Spurs, the five-time NBA Champions began to rebuild after losing dynasty stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and, to a lesser extent, Kawhi Leonard. San Antonio’s professional basketball franchise gained the heart of that rebound in 2023 after drafting eventual NBA Rookie of the Year Wembyanama.
Looking to build around “Wemby,” the Spurs added the likes of 12-time All-Star Chris Paul and, now, Fox.
Against the Hawks in Fox’s debut, Wembanyama notched 24 points and 12 rebounds, also securing a double-double, while Paul finished with 11 points and nine assists. Elsewhere, NBA Champion Harrison Barnes finished with 13 points, former Florida State Seminole Devin Vassell finished with 20, former Baylor Bear Jeremy Sochan finished with 15 and former UConn Husky Stephon Castle finished with 11.
For the Hawks, star Trae Young finished with 32 points, leading all scorers, while Onyeka Okongwu had 30, De’Andre Hunter logged 22 and Dyson Daniels scored 19. Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Hawks’ bench only mustered a combined 16 points while reigning No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Zaccharie Risacher only mustered six.
“Selfishly, as a coach, I think that’s probably about as complete of a game you’d hope for the first game,” Spurs interim Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “The potential is tantalizing, he’s dynamic, and he’s gonna unlock a whole different element for our team.”
The win brought the Spurs to 22-26 in the league, sitting in 12th in the Western Conference, two games behind a spot in the Play-In Tournament and the Phoenix Suns.
The Spurs and Fox will return to action next on Friday, Feb. 7, when the team travels to the Spectrum Center to duel the 12-36 Charlotte Hornets. Tipoff against the Hornets is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
