With four games under his belt, San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox has quietly looked the part this season. Thus far, he has said and done all the right things to impress fans, showing that he is already fully committed to the Spurs organization. That early level of buy-in is huge for both the team and Fox long-term.
He previously mentioned that he wanted to come to San Antonio and only San Antonio when looking at potential trade options as a member of the Sacramento Kings. Since being traded to the Spurs, he has done everything asked of him.
When the Spurs' season was slipping away last year, he agreed to have a season-ending surgery, which allowed San Antonio to tank and end up with a second overall pick, which turned out to be Dylan Harper. That decision helps set the Spurs up to be a contender for years to come.
De'Aaron Fox is seamlessly fitting into the Spurs' culture
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After his season debut, he further impressed by mentioning in a post-game interview that he was there to help superstar Victor Wembanyama become an all-time great. That is all the more impressive considering that Fox is a star in his own right, and he is willing to play a supporting role around a better player.
That means that he knows his role and why he is with the Spurs. Thus far, he has lived up to expectations, averaging 21 points and 5.3 assists this season and looking like an excellent fit even as he knocks some rust off after missing the last eight months of basketball.
He has also done his part to fit in, including selflessly passing up a wide-open layup to feed Keldon Johnson for a dunk. Fox also willingly took a backseat to Stephon Castle, who was having a better game during crunch time against the Chicago Bulls, finishing with 19 points and 11 assists.
That is an intriguing development that suggests that Fox won't be handling the ball nearly as much as many might expect. Especially with both Castle and Harper also on the team and looking terrific. That could mean that he will have to play differently and pick his spots, something that he is already beginning to do.
De'Aaron Fox is finally giving the Spurs a selfless co-star
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However, once he becomes fully integrated into San Antonio's offense, he could be a game changer. He has already had some big quarters, scoring 15 points in the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans and 10 in the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls. That helped the Spurs pull out close victories against both teams.
Having a player who can efficiently and consistently drop 20+ points will take pressure off of Wembanyama and keep the Spurs in games that Wembanyama might struggle in. That should raise the Spurs' offensive floor, and with their second-ranked defense, allow them to beat most teams.
That should be music to the ears of Spurs fans who have had to endure a franchise-record six-year playoff drought. Fox's willingness to sacrifice and fully buy into what the Spurs are selling is a departure from other recent Spurs stars.
Kawhi Leonard infamously demanded a trade after initially being seen as a franchise cornerstone. Meanwhile, LaMarcus Aldridge also requested to be traded before eventually getting on board. As for DeMar DeRozan, he didn't seem fully on board after being traded from Toronto after 10 seasons.
To his credit, he was both professional and highly productive during his time with the team. With Fox, he seems to already be embracing Spurs culture and ready to do what it takes for the team to thrive, and it's refreshing.