Sacramento Kings are making a big splash in their first playoff appearance since 2006 with De’Aaron Fox leading the way.
ESPN commentator and basketball analyst Stephen A. Smith had some high praise for the budding athlete.
Is it time to elevate De’Aaron Fox to superstar level?
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, Smith made a bold claim about the Kings leader who is tearing it up in the playoffs.
“When you look at De’Aaron Fox, he has emerged as a superstar in this game. When we look at him, we need to think of him in the same ilk as a Ja Morant,” said Smith.
The 25-year-old Fox made his first All-Star game this season and was named the Clutch Player of the Year. Morant is a two-time All-Star and was the 2020 Rookie of the Year.
Smith thinks it is time to mention the Louisiana-born lad in the same breath as the young superstars who are starting to emerge in the league. Morant, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others are amongst that young emerging tier.
Smith went on to say that the way Fox is playing against the great Golden State Warriors in the playoffs proves his talent.
“He is outscoring Steph Curry in this series. Think about what he is doing and bringing to the table. You have to give a lot of love and respect to what you are seeing from him,” said Smith.
Fox is averaging 31.5 points per game and 7.9 assists per game in the first-round series against Golden State. The series is tied at 2-2 after the Warriors escaped with a one-point win in Game 4. Fox has scored 38 points twice in the series already, in Games 1 and 4. He averaged 25.0 points per game this season, which ranks 14th best in the NBA.
Smith did have slight criticism reserved for the former Kentucky guard despite the high praise. Smith said Fox should always take the final shot of the game for the Kings in a clutch situation.
At the end of Game 4 with the Kings down one, the 25-year-old took the ball but could not get a shot attempt off for the potential game winner due to a double team by the Warriors. He passed it off to Harrison Barnes, who missed the potential game-winning 3-pointer.
“At the end of the day, you want that ball in your hands. You want to be the one that launches that shot,” remarked Smith.
“He has already shown throughout the season and in this series he can make shots like that. If I were him, I would have (shot it). I’m sure he would have liked to have that one back,” continued Smith.
The Kings will go home to Sacramento to host the Warriors for Game 5 on Wednesday.
