In attempting to set the record straight regarding his exit from the Sacramento Kings, De'Aaron Fox is also making another aspect clear. Victor Wembanyama is why he singled out the San Antonio Spurs as a preferred destination.
“Why I wanted to come here,” is the way Fox described it to ESPN just ahead of his return to Northern California for the first time since the trade in early February.
Fox spent the first seven and half seasons of his NBA career in Sacramento. Leading up to the match-up with his former team, he detailed the particulars of the three-way deal that included the Chicago Bulls and landed him in San Antonio. Among his insistence that he didn't demand a move, he did admit that the chance to play alongside the league's next generational talent weighed heavily once, he says, he learned the Kings were exploring trading him.
The afternoon before his first game with the Spurs, Fox praised Wembanyama when asked about the chance to play alongside the 7-foot-5 phenom.
“It's a very unique opportunity,” Fox noted. “Not many guys come around like that. Not just him, but everybody else. I felt like the fit would be spectacular.”
The 2023 All-Star has been quick to point to the young Spurs core as a main factor in his desire to play in SA. Wemby, though, stands out in more ways than one.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard De'Aaron Fox (4) react during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
De'Aaron Fox opens up Victor Wembanyama
“He's so unique,” Fox told ESPN following a 127-113 Spurs victory vs. the Brooklyn Nets.
“Guys dribble to the lane, see him, [and] they're like, ‘Yeah, I'm not going up.' I've never played with anything like that before. One, he's a lob threat. He's a guy that also picks and pops. He's also continuing to learn the game.”
Related San Antonio Spurs NewsArticle continues below
Wemby's progression is paused for now. The first overall pick of the 2023 draft saw his season cut short off the heels of the NBA All-Star Break when doctors confirmed blood clots in his right shoulder.
Turns out, Fox and Wembanyama shared the court for just five games together this season.
De’Aaron Fox on the last play – his pick and roll with Wemby that led to the game winning Vic free throw…
“I told him in the timeout, ‘You better not kick that ball out. We live or die by what you do’…”
Full answer ⬇️#Spurs #GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/MmT4PXIAcy
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) February 6, 2025
Expand Tweet
“Playing with a superstar is not easy because obviously, one, they demand the ball,” Fox said. “Two, they demand so much attention. It's like playing with Steph. Everybody can't play with Steph because you always have to look for him. But at the end of the day, that motherf**ker can win championships, and I think Vic can win championships. So, you obviously want to continue to play your game. But you learn how to play off someone like that. And he by himself can make a group extremely special.”
At 21 years old, Wemby represents these Spurs to a tee from an age perspective. Standout rookie Stephon Castle is just 20, while Keldon Johnson, who's the longest-tenured Spur, is just 25. In between, the team's second-leading scorer until Fox arrived, Devin Vassell, is 24, while all-around threat and their best perimeter defender, Jeremy Sochan, is 21.
“The rules are different,” Fox said of Wembanyama upon his arrival to the Silver and Black.
Considering he's never been past the first round of the playoffs, Fox hopes that eventually, his success will be different too.