SACRAMENTO -- The training wheels are coming off. That was the message at the end of the 2017-18 season and it’s destined to be a favorite catch phrase of the coaching staff heading into training camp later this year.
The Sacramento Kings plan to go young and they plan on turning up the pace. They have the right point guard to lead a high octane, uptempo style and with the drafting of Marvin Bagley III, they have another big that can really get out and run.
“We’re definitely going to speed it up,” De’Aaron Fox said Friday following the team’s minicamp practice. “We have the youth, we have the speed, we have the talent and I think we’ll be much better.”
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A surprise addition to the California Classic roster, Fox is in Sacramento to lead the young Kings into a new direction. After running a plodding offensive attack last season, the plan is to turn the speedster loose on the NBA and flank him with athletes that can keep up.
“That's why turtles don't play with rabbits,” assistant coach Larry Lewis said when asked about Fox pushing the tempo. “De'Aaron is one of the fastest guards in the world. I can say that - he's one of the fastest guards in the world. So that means that his teammates have to understand that, be in good shape and they have to be athletic and flexible enough to run with him."
In preparation for this season, Fox studied footage of Chris Paul and he’s had conversations with former Kings players, Bobby Jackson and Peja Stojakovic, who played with Paul early in his career.
“Even at young age, even in his rookie year, he demanded it,” Fox said of Paul. “He doesn’t just run by himself and no one is running with him, he forced his teammates to do it with him.”
NBA
Fox’s mindset seems different as he enters his sophomore campaign. His confidence is high. He’s worked on his game all summer long and he’s ready to unleash Fox 2.0. The plan is for the the Kentucky product to play all three games in Sacramento this week, but don’t expect to see him in the desert heat next weekend when the Kings hit the Thomas and Mack Center for Las Vegas Summer League.
“I’ve been informed that I’m only playing these three games,” Fox said.
When asked if he would like to suit up in Vegas, the 20-year-old smiled and said he would prefer not to.
Fans will get their first glimpse at Fox and his young Kings teammates Monday evening at Golden 1 Center during the inaugural California Classic. He’ll have plenty of talent around him, including Bagley, Harry Giles, Justin Jackson, Nigel Hayes and a slew of NBA hopefuls.