Sacramento gave De’Aaron Fox a warm welcome, then a rough night.
De’Aaron Fox probably wasn’t expecting that when he returned to Sacramento.
In his first game against the Sacramento Kings since they granted his trade request to the San Antonio Spurs, Fox and his new team were blown out 127-109 on Friday. Fox finished the game with 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting with eight assists, four rebounds and two turnovers.
The Spurs got off to a decent start, leading by six points at the end of the first quarter, but a Kings run in the second quarter put them up by 14 at halftime. They led by double digits for the entire second half.
Zach LaVine, one of the players the Kings received in exchange for Fox, led the Kings with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
It’s probably worth noting Victor Wembanyama, likely part of the reason Fox wanted to join the Spurs, was still out with deep vein thrombosis with his shoulder. Wembanyama was still in attendance to support Fox, though. On the flip side, the Kings were without star big man Domantas Sabonis due to a hamstring injury.
Fox did receive a nice welcome before the game. The Kings had a tribute video ready and he received a standing ovation from the Golden 1 Center crowd, though there were still a few audible boos.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and former general manager Vlade Divac, who drafted Fox, were both in attendance courtside.
De’Aaron Fox’s tribute video from the Sacramento Kings, complete with a standing ovation from the vast majority of the Golden 1 Center crowd, including owner Vivek Ranadive and Vlade Divac courtside. pic.twitter.com/q9CHgYn607
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) March 8, 2025
The Sacramento crowd shows love for De’Aaron Fox 💜
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/hLSP67Urjx
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) March 8, 2025
Fox got his trade to the Spurs last month, ending an eight-season tenure in Sacramento that saw him lead the team’s to the NBA playoffs in 2023. They struggled to continue that success in the following two years. though, and the team all but panicked with its firing of well-regarded head coach Mike Brown.
The three-team swap was complicated, but essentially saw the Kings receive LaVine and a bevy of draft picks in exchange for Fox and Kevin Huerter. The trade placed Fox in his home state of Texas and as the co-star to ascending phenom Wembanyama, though the 7-footer’s shoulder issue has taken the air out of the remainder of the Spurs’ season.
San Antonio’s record now sits at 26-35, making them third-to-last in the West. Per Tankathon, they entered Friday with a 4.5% chance to win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.
Meanwhile, the Kings are 33-29 and just matched the Clippers for eighth place in the West.
