Game recognize game.
After LeBron James had a taste of what’s been cooking in Sacramento this season in the Lakers’ 134-120 loss to the Kings, the NBA megastar praised one of the league's hottest new duos: De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
"I think De’Aaron and Domantas complement each other very well," James told reporters Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center. “Sabonis’ ability to play at the elbow like his father [Arvydas] used to do, his ability to pass, his ability to rebound and score makes him very dynamic.
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Sabonis finished the game with 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists for his second triple-double of the season and his ninth consecutive double-double. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists through Sacramento’s first 30 games of the 2022-23 season.
On the day after his 25th birthday, Fox dropped 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and six assists before being ejected in the win. He’s averaging 23.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game this season.
Both Sabonis and Fox are making strong cases for NBA All-Star bids.
“And then they just have guys around them that complement them,” James continued. “It’s a lot of game within the game, and when you have [Kevin] Huerter and the rook [Keegan Murray] shooting the ball extremely well, Harrison Barnes who can spread the floor, it allows De’Aaron to get into the paint and allows him to have space when you have guys out there that can spread the floor.”
The Fox-Sabonis duo was created in a blockbuster trade last season, when the Kings sent guards Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield and big man Tristan Thompson to the Pacers for Sabonis, two other players and a second-round draft pick. James discussed that deal Wednesday, saying “it’s very rare” when a trade works out for both franchises, as it has in this case. Haliburton is averaging 20 points and 10.6 assists per game for Indiana this season.
The Lakers star also had a full-circle moment Wednesday. On Oct. 30, 2003, then-18-year-old James made his NBA debut in Sacramento, scoring 25 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out nine assists in the Cavaliers’ 106-92 loss to the Kings at Arco Arena.
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Twenty years later, well, he’s LeBron James.
James reflected on what playing in the city of Sacramento means to him.
"It always has a special meaning," he said. "It’s a different arena, but same feeling, same city. It was the beginning of my career. It will always hold a special place in my heart, just because of the journey I’ve been on. It will always have a place, for sure."
LeBron will see the Kings two more times in the regular season, on Jan. 7 in Sacramento and again on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles.