Magic, IT believe Fox deserves to be NBA All-Star this year

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Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox is making a strong case to become a first-time NBA All-Star this season, but the first round of fan votes didn't do his efforts any justice. 

Sacramento launched an All-Star campaign for Fox and his partner in crime, star center Domantas Sabonis, this season, who are leading a rebranded Kings team back into a competitive, winning culture

But even though NBA fans outside of Sactown haven’t shown the dynamic duo much love, big names around the league have. 

While basketball fans have been enjoying a season full of rising stars and historic performances from players like Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell, two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas has an idea of who should be making their first All-Star appearance in February. 

Fox is averaging 23.8 points on 50.2-percent shooting from the field, along with 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 36 games so far this season. Not to mention he’s been Mr. Clutch for the Kings in a season that has had far too many down-to-the-wire games. 

As of Tuesday, Fox leads the league in clutch shots and clutch field-goal percentage, and is second in total clutch points, per KingsMuse. 

Fox's dominance on the floor also has captured the attention of Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who loudly vouched for Fox's All-Star campaign on Twitter. 

NBA champion and current NBA analyst on NBC Sports California and ESPN Matt Barnes has been using his platform to help give the Kings a little more love and attention on the national level. He recently threw out Fox and Sabonis' names on ESPN's "NBA Today" and wondered why their names aren't even mentioned on the first return of the All-Star fan votes. 

While people are doing their part to try and get the word out there, Fox is just focused on one thing: Getting to the NBA playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons. 

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After his clutch fourth-quarter performance in the Kings' 117-115 win over the Jazz in Utah, NBC Sports California Kings Pregame/Postgame Live host Morgan Ragan asked Fox if he plans to be back in Utah for the All-Star Game. 

"For me, I've always talked about it, I just want to win games," Fox said on "Kings Postgame Live". "I want to do whatever I have to do to put my team in the best position to win. If we do that and I make the All-Star team, then so be it. And if I don't, it is what it is. But I just want to be able to get out here and get wins." 

That sounds like the mindset of an All-Star, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

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