De'Aaron Fox is extremely confident in the Kings' chances to make the playoffs heading into the 2022-23 NBA season.
Speaking with The Sacramento Bee's Jason Anderson, the 24-year-old guard explained why he has faith in Sacramento's chances.
"I'm extremely confident," Fox told Anderson. "We've added guys that can pass the ball, guys that can shoot the ball, guys who are athletic."
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Fox added that while Sacramento can put the ball in the basket with ease, he thinks the Kings' chances to make the playoffs hinge on their ability to get stops and that defense is where their "future" lies.
"... But at the end of the day, we have to be able to stop people," Fox continued. "I think we have the personnel that can do it, and we also have a coach who's going to demand it, so I think that's great for us."
What's more, Fox told Anderson that he has seen his defensive numbers from previous years -- he defends the NBA's top scorers better than others but struggles against everyone else -- and wants to make it a priority to be a consistently effective defender.
"So, for me, it's just being ready to do that night in and night out, no matter if I'm guarding a guy who doesn't shoot the ball much or if I'm guarding the best player on the team," Fox said. "You just have to always be locked in.
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"To be where we want to be, I know I'm going to have to do that night in and night out."
For Sacramento's star and the rest of the team to be so focused on defense has to be a relieving sight for Kings fans.
Back in July, newcomer Malik Monk stated that his personal goal with the Kings was to help the team be a top-10 defensive unit this season.
Furthermore, the Kings were 26th in defensive rating and opponent effective field goal percentage at 115.3 and 55 percent overall, respectively, last season, per Basketball Reference. The Kings also allowed opponents to hit 37 percent of their 3-point looks, tied for worst in the league with the Indiana Pacers.
With the Kings signing veterans Kent Bazemore and Matthew Dellavedova as well as trading for Kevin Huerter -- a 6-foot-7 guard -- it's clear Sacramento is putting more emphasis on the defensive end.
Fox also cut his honeymoon short in order to work on his game, showing his commitment to the team and their playoff hopes this year.
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If all goes well for the Kings this upcoming season, Fox's confidence in Sacramento's ability could pay off in a big way once the regular season comes to a close.