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          De'Aaron Fox explains how he figured out NBA point guard tricks

          • Mike SchmitzAug 11, 2020, 07:17 AM ET

          In October of 2015 at a USA Basketball camp featuring several elite point guards from a loaded 2016 high school class, De'Aaron Fox had a statement to make.

          "We have an abundance of elite point guards, but I feel like I'm the best," a 17-year-old Fox said. "I feel like I've proven it on each level."

          Although he was selected behind highly touted guards such as Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball in the 2017 NBA draft, Fox is making that declaration a reality, quickly emerging as a future star and Sacramento Kings cornerstone.

          "He's fantastic, man," one NBA head coach said. "Tremendous improvement for me. He distorts your defense so much just by putting pressure on the rim constantly. I think he's going to end up being one of the best point guards [in the league] when it's all said and done, or at least he has that potential."

          Through 51 games this season, Fox is averaging 21 points and 6.8 assists with a career-best 55.8 true shooting percentage while terrifying opposing defenses with his open-court speed and elite change of pace. Bring up his name to coaches around the league and you'll hear a similar sentiment.

          "He's a freaking rocket," one defensive-focused lead assistant said. "It was my scout and you're trying to tell your guys, 'Yo, this dude is fast.' But he's so fast that you can't do it justice on film. His speed getting from one end to the other end is, like, it's the John Walls, it's the [Russell] Westbrooks."

          Speed has always been Fox's superpower. Since he first burst onto the scouting scene as a teenager, sports scientists and evaluators alike have raved about his quickness and reaction time. But his athletic gifts didn't lead to success as a rookie. Fox posted a negative-10.2 net rating and was one of only seven starters with a true shooting percentage below 50%.

          "Oh man, I was bad my rookie year, I was really bad," Fox said during a virtual film session from the Orlando bubble. "I was still fast and all that, but just the understanding of the game wasn't there because most of my life I got by on pure athleticism, just being faster and jumping higher.

          "It looked like a totally different De'Aaron Fox in those clips."

          Fox is now one of the top young point guards in the NBA. He's in line for an extension this summer, which has to be a priority for the Kings' front office given his emergence over the past two seasons.

          Here's how the 6-4 lefty has elevated his game, offering a blueprint for how other athletic NBA point guards can replicate what Fox learned after a challenging rookie year.

          WATCH: Full film session with De'Aaron Fox

          1. Slowing down and shifting gears

          Fox's pedal-to-the-metal style got him in trouble for stretches during his rookie season. His moves were often predetermined, and given the fact that he was at least 10 pounds lighter than he is now and not as comfortable as a shooter, the learning curve was tougher than he expected. But as Fox improved his body and handle, he learned how to best manipulate defenses as a driver.

          "Just growing up, I was always faster than everybody so it didn't matter," Fox said. "I could go from 0 to 100 and stay at 100 the whole time because they were never able to keep up. Now if I'm able to go from my 100 down to 50 down to 40 back to 90, they're trying to keep up at their 100 and they don't know when to slow down or when to speed up."

          Fox was quick to point out that his ability to shift gears wasn't something he really mastered until the middle of last season. Outside of maybe James Harden and Luka Doncic, Fox is now as good as anyone in the NBA at going from fully relaxed with the ball to max speed almost instantly.

          His handle isn't overly flashy, but his footwork, pace and force on basic in-and-outs, crossovers, pull-backs, spin moves and hesitations are what make him so dynamic. He's stronger with the ball, more patient with his setups. He's also able to register how he's being defended more quickly, then unleash his athletic gifts more effectively.

          "I'm playing slower than I've ever played in my life," Fox said. "Not as far as the offense but as far me getting into my moves, getting to my spot and shooting the ball ... It was a big adjustment. I'm doing this a lot now because everyone's already afraid of the speed. So if I'm playing slow they're trying to anticipate when I'm going to take off. Now it's just keeping them on their heels."

          2. Pick-and-roll development

          As a rookie, Fox ranked 105th out of 111 high-volume players in points per play when finishing pick-and-roll actions, according to Second Spectrum tracking data. His deep ball wasn't all that reliable, his frame was light and he was still developing the nuance necessary to punish drop coverages.

          But over the past two seasons Fox ranks 39th out of 101 players in the same category, edging out Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant and Jayson Tatum. That leap starts with his improved shooting stroke. As a rookie, too often Fox wouldn't even look at the rim when teams ducked under screens. In fact, Fox ranked 32nd out of 36 players (with at least 200 plays) in points per direct action when defenders went under that season.

          "My rookie year was: Try to get to the rim, try to get to the rim, try to get to the rim, because I wasn't comfortable yet shooting the ball," Fox said. "It was difficult. I think it was 10 times easier to guard me."

          Over the past two seasons when teams go under screens, Fox ranks 17th out of 67 high-volume point guards in points per direct action, ahead of Devin Booker and Trae Young. Although his 3-point percentage dipped from 37.1% last season to 30% this season, he's not turning down open pull-up 3s as often when teams dare him to shoot.

          One NBA assistant coach praised Fox's confidence and competitive edge, noting that Fox often will look over to the opposing bench to challenge the opponents' decision to go under or defend him with a certain player.

          "I'll show you why you shouldn't do that coverage," Fox said. "That's how I've always been."

          Teams still go under on Fox a lot, but he has found ways to counter that strategy while attacking dropped bigs when he does force guards over the top.

          Part of Fox's struggles early on came from his reliance on midrange jumpers. As a rookie, 3.4 of Fox's 10.9 shots per game came in midrange spots. This season, just 2.3 of Fox's 16.0 shots have come from that area.

          He used to play into the defense's hands, pulling up inside the arc the moment he saw daylight:

          "Now I wouldn't take the shot," Fox said. He'd either be patient, waiting for his big to roll and get open, or he'd attack the center, looking to get into his chest and draw contact.

          Fox has learned how to slow down in pick-and-roll -- snaking middle, getting physical with guards or taking advantage of dropped bigs -- while also attacking guard-to-guard switches.

          With the prevalence of drop coverages, Fox pointed out that an effective midrange game is still important in clutch situations and the playoffs. But it's his ability to find more openings for floaters, bursts to the rim and, most notably, assist opportunities that has increased his overall efficiency.

          Fox's improvement on pick-and-roll passing has been eye-opening.

          "I don't know what the hell I was thinking," Fox said as he watched one rookie-year clip where he made a mistake with the ball.

          "That's a terrible read," he added after another.

          He now has the ability to loft the ball up to diving bigs off of a live dribble with his left hand. If the lob is taken away, he's comfortable firing the ball to a shooter circling up the 3-point line -- also with only one hand.

          "You have to be able to [pass with one hand]," Fox said. "Coaches are going to yell, 'No one-hand passes. Two-hand, blah blah blah.' Well, that's when the game is slow as hell."

          As a rookie, Fox wasn't as comfortable making off-the-dribble reads and didn't have all that much shooting at the big spots. Not only does he have shot-makers such as Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield alongside him now, but he's actually at his best when Nemanja Bjelica and Harrison Barnes are the screeners -- either springing Fox for a quick pass to the pop man or allowing him to attack the switching defender. Plus, he's learning how to hit the weakside corner without needing to collapse the defense.

          If Fox becomes a more reliable shooter, he'll have a chance to develop into one of the better pick-and-roll shot creators in the NBA.

          3. Emphasizing finesse and longevity

          Fox has started to develop the craft and finesse necessary to not only be an above-average finisher now but also lengthen his career with a change in style. In part due to his football background, Fox has always been fearless to the rim, even at his skinniest.

          "He definitely ain't afraid coming down the lane," one assistant coach said. "That's guaranteed."

          That has helped Fox generate more than eight free throw attempts per 40 minutes this season, good for 11th in the NBA. He has little problem initiating contact and finishing:

          But it's Fox's growing deception around the rim that gives him so much upside here.

          "I've thought about longevity and the way that I play," said Fox, who studies Stephen Curry's and Kyrie Irving's below-the-rim finesse finishes. "If you can stay on the ground as long as possible and still be fast, you can do it for a long time."

          He's still improving his off hand, but Fox boasts a 64% conversion rate in the restricted area this season, up from 59% his rookie year. He has boosted his floater efficiency to over 41% and added the necessary tricks to neutralize shot-blockers at the rim.

          "I do the same foot, same hand a lot because it throws off a big," Fox said. "The whole game is always about rhythm. A big is going to count your one-two steps. If I go off the right foot, he might get there in time. So it's always just about trying to throw off the defense."

          What's next?

          The Kings are still finding their way as a franchise, having now missed the playoffs for a league-worst 14 consecutive seasons, but Fox is an exciting lead guard to build around given his production, age, athletic profile and evolving skill level. He is one of only 10 players in NBA history to average at least 20 points and 6 assists on over 55% true shooting before age 23 -- a list that includes LeBron James, Oscar Robertson and Luka Doncic. Fox will be extension-eligible this fall and should command between $25 million per year and the max, according to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks.

          While passing on Doncic for Marvin Bagley III will likely haunt the Kings for some time, surrounding Fox with shooting, athletes and defenders could become a winning recipe so long as the young guard continues to grow.

          Here are the three areas Fox says he's most focused on improving in the offseason.

          1. Continuing to develop his frame

          Fox says he has gained 12 to 13 pounds since his rookie season, and adding physicality will certainly help him on defense. Nicknamed "Swipa" for his quick hands, Fox was known for his ball pressure and competitiveness in high school. Yet the 22-year-old hasn't been nearly as impactful on that end of the floor in the NBA.

          In fact, he ranks just 82nd out of 94 point guards in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus this season. Some of that is likely a product of carrying such a large offensive load, while also not always playing in meaningful games.

          "I think trying to push it 94 feet every time down, every possession, wears on you," one NBA assistant said. "I think [Sacramento is] really trying to do that."

          Circumstances aside, there's no question Fox can crank up the intensity both on defense and the glass.

          2. Consistency from deep

          Fox has made strides as a shooter, even if his declining 3-point percentage this season doesn't support that. Bumping his career 33% clip up to around league average -- 35.9% for all guards this season, per Second Spectrum -- would work wonders for his overall efficiency.

          "The way I shoot the ball, I'd say it doesn't look uncomfortable," Fox said. "I've made big shots. I've made big shots off the dribble. I think people know I'm capable of making 3s, but I have to be more consistent at it."

          Better spot-up shooting would also help tremendously, allowing him to further utilize his speed attacking closeouts. In part due to his role, he has made just 23 catch-and-shoot jumpers in 50 games. So many of the NBA's top teams employ multiguard lineups, and Fox becoming a reliable spot-up shooter would give Sacramento more lineup flexibility moving forward.

          3. Sharpening his floor game

          Fox's assist-to-turnover ratio dropped from 2.6-to-1 as a second-year player to 2.15-to-1 this season. Although he has made progress, he's still fine-tuning his ability to go from electric scorer to in-control playmaker.

          "Continuing to get better at manipulating the game and passing the ball, I think that goes hand in hand," Fox said.

          Surrounding Fox with more dynamic pieces -- and a healthy Bagley -- should go a long way in boosting his playmaking, too. Like speedsters Westbrook and Wall, Fox should eventually be able to average double-digit assists.

          Cleaning up these three aspects of his game will help Fox come back for next season ready to make an even bigger impact. Despite the losses, he has picked up some nice momentum in Orlando, ranking 17th among all players in ESPN insider Kevin Pelton's wins above replacement metric. He looks every bit like a future All-Star.

          "I think I've stayed on track honestly," Fox said. "You usually see a lot of guys who were top-tier in high school and kind of fall off when they get to the NBA, but for myself I think I just stayed hungry. I kept wanting to get better."