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  4. title => "Marvin Bagley goes through Kings' patient plan just like De'Aaron Fox"
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  6. article_body => "<p>SACRAMENTO -- There is a plan in place. For the first time in more than a decade, the Sacramento Kings have found success in developing young players. Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein have taken major steps forward and De\u2019Aaron Fox looks like a franchise building block in just his second year in the league.<\/p>\n<p>The idea of developing players doesn\u2019t always work, Sacramento can attest to that. There is no blueprint for success that works 100 percent of the time. The Kings have drafted in the lottery every year since 2007 and they have struggled to find players that can stick in the league, let alone on the Kings\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Dave Joerger and his staff have plenty of young, high level selections to work with, but at some point, they have to throw players into the fire and see if they can perform.<\/p>\n<p>Rookie Marvin Bagley is the current project the team is working into the rotation. Taken with the second overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old old power forward is still trying to break into the starting lineup. Bagley has all the potential in the world, but the patient approach is something Sacramento used last season with Fox and it\u2019s paying off in his sophomore season.<\/p>\n<p>Fox was the focal point coming into last year, but the Kings added George Hill with the hopes that he would mentor the young point guard. Fox wasn\u2019t given the starting job coming out of camp, it was the veteran who took the lumps as the team got off to a slow start.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was definitely a help for me last year, some people don\u2019t see it that way, but I definitely think that George helped me a lot, especially being able to practice against him everyday,\u201d Fox told NBC Sports California.<\/p>\n<p>For the first five games of the 2017-18 season, Fox came off the bench in a reserve roll. He picked up two spot starts with Hill missing games, but it wasn\u2019t until game 15 of the regular season that the former Kentucky star moved into the starting group for good.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just about being ready when your number is called,\u201d Fox said. \u201cI didn\u2019t trip about my role last year. I knew I was young. George was proven. He\u2019d been to the playoffs, played in the big game, so when I came in the game, I just tried to do what they asked me to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>[RELATED:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/kings\/reggie-miller-believes-deaaron-fox-superstar-making\" target=\"_blank\">Reggie Miller believes De'Aaron Fox is a 'superstar in the making'<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bagley has watched veteran Nemanja Bjelica start through the first 20 games of the regular season, but eventually, the time may come when he\u2019s elevated to the first team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhatever coach and the rest of the team needs from me, I\u2019m willing to do,\u201d Bagley told NBC Sports California. \u201cI\u2019m just ready when my number\u2019s called and just trying to go out and produce everytime I\u2019m out there on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over his last five games, Bagley has made a huge leap in production. The 6-foot-11 leaper has taken advantage of his opportunities, posting 16 points, 10 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in just under 29 minutes per game. During the stretch, he\u2019s shot 54.4 percent from the field and his aggressive style has led to 5.4 free throw attempts per game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like I\u2019m getting better and better,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cIt\u2019s coming along. I just can\u2019t wait to develop some more things to add to my game and one day be one of those guys in this league that people know and people look up to and want to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Kings have been impressed with Bagley\u2019s maturity for such a young player. They are slowly feeding him more and more as the season moves toward December.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Before Sunday\u2019s loss to Utah, Coach Joerger pointed to Bagley\u2019s strong family influence off the court for his demeanor and willingness to be patient as he acclimates to the NBA game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>[RELATED:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/kings\/kings-rookie-marvin-bagley-drops-new-music-video-shot-sacramento\" target=\"_blank\">Kings rookie Marvin Bagley drops new music video shot in Sacramento<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that\u2019s a different kind of dude than the dude who\u2019s the oldest of three kids, his family is all hunkered in here to Sacramento,\u201d Joerger said. \u201cThey haven\u2019t let his head get big, they just have high character, high-quality family structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bjelica is helping to space the floor and he is a high basketball IQ player, but it\u2019s only a matter of time before Bagley steals more of the spotlight in Sacramento. The rookie has an incredible motor and unlimited potential.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just having fun, man, and not worrying about things that I can\u2019t control,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cIt will just stress you out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bagley doesn\u2019t look stressed out at all on the court. The game is slowing down and he\u2019s starting to show teams around the league why he was taken near the top of the draft. Against Utah on Sunday, he posted 18 points and six rebounds. The night before on the road at Golden State, he chipped in 20 points and 17 rebounds.<\/p>\n<p>The Kings have a plan for bringing Bagley along. So far, it\u2019s working out pretty well. The team is competitive and Bagley appears to be building in the same way that Fox did a season ago.<\/p>\n"
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SACRAMENTO -- There is a plan in place. For the first time in more than a decade, the Sacramento Kings have found success in developing young players. Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein have taken major steps forward and De’Aaron Fox looks like a franchise building block in just his second year in the league.

The idea of developing players doesn’t always work, Sacramento can attest to that. There is no blueprint for success that works 100 percent of the time. The Kings have drafted in the lottery every year since 2007 and they have struggled to find players that can stick in the league, let alone on the Kings’ roster.

Head coach Dave Joerger and his staff have plenty of young, high level selections to work with, but at some point, they have to throw players into the fire and see if they can perform.

Rookie Marvin Bagley is the current project the team is working into the rotation. Taken with the second overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old old power forward is still trying to break into the starting lineup. Bagley has all the potential in the world, but the patient approach is something Sacramento used last season with Fox and it’s paying off in his sophomore season.

Fox was the focal point coming into last year, but the Kings added George Hill with the hopes that he would mentor the young point guard. Fox wasn’t given the starting job coming out of camp, it was the veteran who took the lumps as the team got off to a slow start.

 

“It was definitely a help for me last year, some people don’t see it that way, but I definitely think that George helped me a lot, especially being able to practice against him everyday,” Fox told NBC Sports California.

For the first five games of the 2017-18 season, Fox came off the bench in a reserve roll. He picked up two spot starts with Hill missing games, but it wasn’t until game 15 of the regular season that the former Kentucky star moved into the starting group for good. 

“It’s just about being ready when your number is called,” Fox said. “I didn’t trip about my role last year. I knew I was young. George was proven. He’d been to the playoffs, played in the big game, so when I came in the game, I just tried to do what they asked me to do.”

[RELATED: Reggie Miller believes De'Aaron Fox is a 'superstar in the making']

Bagley has watched veteran Nemanja Bjelica start through the first 20 games of the regular season, but eventually, the time may come when he’s elevated to the first team.

“Whatever coach and the rest of the team needs from me, I’m willing to do,” Bagley told NBC Sports California. “I’m just ready when my number’s called and just trying to go out and produce everytime I’m out there on the floor.”

Over his last five games, Bagley has made a huge leap in production. The 6-foot-11 leaper has taken advantage of his opportunities, posting 16 points, 10 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in just under 29 minutes per game. During the stretch, he’s shot 54.4 percent from the field and his aggressive style has led to 5.4 free throw attempts per game.

“I feel like I’m getting better and better,” Bagley said. “It’s coming along. I just can’t wait to develop some more things to add to my game and one day be one of those guys in this league that people know and people look up to and want to be like.”

The Kings have been impressed with Bagley’s maturity for such a young player. They are slowly feeding him more and more as the season moves toward December. 

Before Sunday’s loss to Utah, Coach Joerger pointed to Bagley’s strong family influence off the court for his demeanor and willingness to be patient as he acclimates to the NBA game. 

[RELATED: Kings rookie Marvin Bagley drops new music video shot in Sacramento]

“I think that’s a different kind of dude than the dude who’s the oldest of three kids, his family is all hunkered in here to Sacramento,” Joerger said. “They haven’t let his head get big, they just have high character, high-quality family structure.”

 

Bjelica is helping to space the floor and he is a high basketball IQ player, but it’s only a matter of time before Bagley steals more of the spotlight in Sacramento. The rookie has an incredible motor and unlimited potential. 

“I’m just having fun, man, and not worrying about things that I can’t control,” Bagley said. “It will just stress you out.”

Bagley doesn’t look stressed out at all on the court. The game is slowing down and he’s starting to show teams around the league why he was taken near the top of the draft. Against Utah on Sunday, he posted 18 points and six rebounds. The night before on the road at Golden State, he chipped in 20 points and 17 rebounds.

The Kings have a plan for bringing Bagley along. So far, it’s working out pretty well. The team is competitive and Bagley appears to be building in the same way that Fox did a season ago.