Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox earned his first All-Star appearance last season after snapping one of the longest playoff droughts in pro sports. Now, as the basketball world begins to value Fox as a bonafide star, it’s time to start recognizing him as an NBA MVP candidate.
Fox is certainly facing overwhelming competition. Luka Doncic is enjoying a season for the ages, Tyrese Haliburton is carrying the Indiana Pacers, Giannis Antetokounmpo has taken his game to a new level and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has turned the Oklahoma City Thunder into one of the NBA’s elite teams. While Fox likely won’t win MVP, what he is doing for Sacramento warrants being in the conversation.
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Here’s our case for why De’Aaron Fox should be an NBA MVP candidate this season.
The Evolution of De’Aaron Fox as the face of the Sacramento Kings
When he entered the league, Fox was one of the fastest players in the NBA. Of course, there was a steep learning curve for the young guard. With a franchise that routinely finished near the bottom of the standings during his early years, development was paramount for Sacramento’s future.
Fox only averaged 11.6 points per game in his rookie season, posting a .441 eFG% and a -0.014 Win Shares per 18 Minutes. He showed slight improvements in the years to come, breaking the 20 PPG threshold in the 2019-’20 season. The real jump came in 2022.
- De’Aaron Fox stats (2018-’22): 21.3 PPG, 6.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, .510 eFG%, .094 WS/48, 19.1 PER
- De’Aaron Fox stats (2022-’24): 26.1 PPG, 6.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, .555 efG%, .148 WS/48, 22.0 PER
From 2019-’22 to the 2022-’24 seasons, Fox’s true shooting percentage (.557 to .596) spiked and he improved defensively. The improved effectiveness as a scorer has unlocked Fox, turning him into one of the most consistent bucket getters in the NBA.
Following Monday night’s win over the Washington Wizards, FOxn recorded his 10th game with 30-plus points. Entering NBA games today, only 10 players have double-digit 30-point games. However, there’s another layer to this that makes Fox’s performances more remarkable, considering he’s played through injury and missed several games.
| Player | 30-point games | Games Played | Percentage of Games with 30+ |
| Luka Doncic | 19 | 25 | 76% |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 17 | 24 | 70.8% |
| Kevin Durant | 12 | 22 | 54.5% |
| Stephen Curry | 11 | 24 | 45.8% |
| De’Aaron Fox | 10 | 19 | 52.6% |
Speaking of Fox’s limited absences, it has an obvious impact on Sacramento’s performance. With Fox in the lineup, the Kings are 13-6 (.684), a winning percentage that would put them second in the Western Conference, and Sacramento is 3-3 without him.
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Fox’s improved scoring can partially be tied to his three-point shooting. After shooting 30.6 percent from the perimeter on 754 attempts in 168 games from 2020-’22, Fox is now hitting at a 34.2 percent clip over the past two seasons on 524 attempts in 92 games.
While Fox does have five games this season with five-plus treys made and he’s made at least three shots from the perimeter in 12 games this season, that’s not what Fox does best. With his speed, athleticism and aggressiveness, Fox is the best finisher in the NBA.
BBall Index recorded Fox making the ninth-biggest jump as a finisher at the rim from the 2021-’22 season to the 2022-’23 campaign. He quickly became one of the best guards in the NBA at finishing near the rim, posting a +3.3 FInishing Talent (100th percentile) and he placed in the 95th percentile for field goal percentage at the rim (95 percent).
What’s truly remarkable about Fox’s ability as a finisher is that he’s doing it uniquely. Fox has the third-worst Rim Shot Quality among starting guards, yet he’s the fourth-best finisher among all NBA players this season.
Despite how often he finishes near the rim surrounded by defenders, Fox is only 19th in fouls drawn (343) and he ranks 37th among all NBA starters in fouls drawn per 100 possessions (6.69). Of note, per NBA.com, Fox takes a shot with a defender within 0-2 feet 12.6 percent of the time and within 2-4 feet 33.2 percent of the time. Meanwhile, the NBA’s leaders in drawn fouls like Giannis Antetokounmpo (13.38 per 100), Luka Doncic (10.02 per 100) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (9.55 per 100) have the benefit of getting star calls.
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Fox has turned a franchise around that had one of the longest playoff droughts in pro sports and he’s elevated his game in meaningful ways. What makes him an MVP candidate isn’t just his scoring ability without the benefit of “star” calls or his unique scoring, but also his unmatched success in the clutch.
De’Aaron Fox remains Mr. Clutch
Fox not only earned his first All-Star selection last season, but he was also the first-ever NBA Clutch Player of the Year. It’s an honor awarded to the player who “best comes through for teammates in the clutch”. If anyone was thinking last season was a fluke, this year has proven otherwise.
- De’Aaron Fox 4th quarter stats: 10.1 points (1st), 44.9% FG
He’s replicating that success this year. He’s not just leading the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring, he has a 1.2-point advantage over Giannis Antetokounmpo (8.9) and averages nearly 3 points per fourth quarter more than Luka Doncic (7.4) and Devin Booker (7.6).
Since the start of the 2023 season, Fox leads the NBA in games with 15-plus points in the fourth quarter with 13. For comparison, he has as many fourth-quarter performances with 15-plus points scored as Damian Lillard (seven) and Stephen Curry (six) combined.
Fox is also delivering some of his best performances on the biggest nights. Against Pacific Division opponents this year, Fox is averaging 31.6 points while shooting 49 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from the perimeter.
| Opponent | Points | Game Score | Result |
| vs OKC Thunder – (12/14) | 41 | 29.5 | Win (+5) |
| vs LA Lakers – (Oct. 29) | 37 | 28.9 | Win (+5) |
| vs Clippers – (Nov. 29) | 40 | 28.6 | Loss (-14) |
| vs Warriors – (Oct. 27) | 39 | 27.4 | Loss (-8) |
| @ MN Timberwolves – (Nov. 24) | 36 | 27.9 | Win (+13) |
| @ PHX Suns – (Dec. 8) | 34 | 26.7 | Win (+8) |
| @ DAL Mavericks – (Nov. 19) | 30 | 28.7 | Win (+16) |
| @ Lakers – (Nov. 15) | 28 | 21.8 | Win (+15) |
| vs Nuggets – (Dec. 2) | 26 | 29.3 | Win (+6) |
| vs Warriors – (Nov. 28) | 29 | 21.8 | Win (+1) |
No matter how you slice it, Fox has become arguably the most clutch player in the NBA. Whether Sacramento is in a tight game in the fourth quarter, facing one of the best teams in the NBA or squaring off against a rival, Fox delivers.
That should be a critical part of what defines an NBA MVP. In the biggest moments against top competition, they come through with masterful game-winning performances. Fox is the epitome of that and it’s why he should be in the NBA MVP conversation.
