De’Aaron Fox’s comments in a recent interview will bring comfort to Sacramento Kings fans.
Fox spoke with one37pm for a feature that was published on Monday. In the article, the point guard expressed his contentedness with the Kings, unlike other players who wish to play in a big market.
“I don’t crave to be in a big market,” Fox told the site. “After last season, there was a buzz in Sacramento. Everyone in Sacramento is a Kings fan. If we start making the playoffs, or if we become a championship contender, the entire city is going to go nuts. That’s the difference between a big market and a small one.”
Fox’s comments touch on the big fish in a small pond concept. Some players prefer to be a smaller fish in a bigger pond — playing in a big-market city like Los Angeles and New York — where there’s a huge percentage of the area’s population that doesn’t even care about basketball. By contrast, in a smaller city like Sacramento, a greater percentage of the area is more likely to follow the team and care about it.
The Kings have not been to the playoffs since 2006, but they had a prime run of success from 2000-2005 where they won at least 50 games each season. Many fans became die-hards during that time and have been longing for the team to become successful again. With Fox, Marvin Bagley, and Buddy Hield at the core of a young team, they had their best season last year since 2006.
Fox, who was drafted in 2017 and has great motivation to perform, is still under team control for three more seasons. Based on his comments, the Kings will have a good chance at locking him up long term.
