De'Aaron Fox has heard all the outside talk about his game and worked to turn a weakness into his strength.
At Kings media day in September, Fox revealed to NBC Sports California's Morgan Ragan what pundits and basketball fans have gotten wrong about his style of play heading into the 2022-23 NBA season.
"Biggest misconception that's about my game, I feel like it's either that I'm not a good playmaker, or that I can't shoot the ball," Fox said. "I think I'm one of the better memory shooters in the league, and obviously I know that this is a 3-point shooting league and I have to be a better shooter, but I think that those are the two."
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Regarding Fox's playmaking abilities, the 24-year-old dished out 5.6 assists in the 2021-22 season. He trailed only Domantas Sabonis (5.8) and Tyrese Haliburton (7.4) before the latter was traded to the Indiana Pacers.
That said, Fox's assist numbers last season were the lowest of his career, outside of his rookie year when he averaged 4.4 per game. Across his five NBA seasons, the Kings guard has averaged 6.2 assists per game.
Additionally, the criticism that Fox cannot hit 3-pointers does hold some merit.
Aside from the 2018-19 season -- when the guard shot 37.1 percent from 3-point land -- Fox has been an inconsistent shooter from deep, shooting well below league average (35 to 37 percent, depending on the year).
NBA
Fox's ability to hit 3-pointers has stayed relatively stagnant despite his attempts continually rising. That is why the guard made it a priority to work on that part of his game in training camp, as he was spotted working on various 3-point shots.
When pressed by Ragan about whether the criticism motivates him or if he thinks that is just who he is as a player, Fox understood that he is who he is but will strive to improve in those aforementioned areas.
"At the end of the day, I have to come out here and percentage -- people are going to look at numbers and things like that. So I have to get my percentages up, but that is what it is," Fox concluded.
With Fox working on his defense, playmaking and 3-point shooting, along with the additions general manager Monte McNair and coach Mike Brown have placed around him, it makes sense why Fox is "extremely confident" in the Kings' chances to make the NBA playoffs this season.
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If all the pieces fall correctly, as they did during Sacramento's demolition of the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, Kings fans are hopeful that this is the year their 16-year playoff drought comes to an end.
And it will all be thanks to the hard work Fox and the rest of the team put in to turn their collective weaknesses into strengths.