NBA Playoffs: How Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Helps Young Players

BusinessSportsMoneyNBA Playoffs: How Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Helps Young PlayersByMark Medina,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. NBA reporterFollow AuthorApr 26, 2026, 08:00am EDTSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during their game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 07, 2025 in Sacramento, California. The is Fox's first game back in Sacramento after being traded from the Kings. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Getty ImagesWith NBA All-Star credentials and a max contract, De’Aaron Fox could have exerted his status more forcefully in his new environment.Instead, Fox eagerly joined the San Antonio Spurs in a mid-season trade last season partly because he wanted to experience something that eluded him through eight years with the Sacramento Kings. He craved front office stability. He valued roster depth and continuity. He hungered for a realistic shot at winning an NBA championship.Fox may receive his wish. The Spurs earned the No. 2 seed largely because Victor Wembanyama has established himself as a two-way star in just his third season. The Spurs have a 2-1 first-round series lead over the Portland Trail Blazers because their young backcourt (Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper) elevated their play while Wembanyama remains sidelined the past two games with a concussion-related symptoms. Even with Fox no longer operating as the franchise player as he did with the Kings, the Spurs view the 29-year-old Fox as critical in bridging the team’s present potential into future excellence. “He is the most unsung reason why this has all worked just in terms of his participation and enthusiasm to make it all work,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of Fox. “We have a lot o...