Draft Profile: De'Aaron Fox

De'Aaron Fox
G | 6'3" | 187 LBS.16.7 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 4.6 APG

* Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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De’Aaron Fox took part in – and dominated – the most prominent one-on-one battle of the 2017 NCAA Tournament when he faced off against fellow projected lottery pick Lonzo Ball in the Sweet 16. Fox scored a freshman tournament-record 39 points for Kentucky, while his UCLA point guard counterpart was held to just 10 points. Fox, who led the Wildcats in scoring during all seven of their postseason games, guided Kentucky into the Elite 8, though its run was halted there by eventual tournament champion North Carolina.

Possessions Scouted from 2016-17 Season:
OFFENSE: 17.2 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 20.1 percent of possessions

De’Aaron Fox is unquestionably one of the top prospects in this year’s Draft. He’s a lefty, downhill guard who is explosive off the dribble. When he attacks, he attacks; the defense feels him when he turns the corner. He is aggressive and has great instincts at both ends. He glides to the basket after taking off, though his flight ends quickly when contact is made with defenders. He has a well-developed floater. Fox’s slim frame and lack of strength prevent him from being able to absorb contact in nearly any form at both ends of the floor. He cannot finish through contact. Fox is an accurate passer with strong vision. He did not shoot the ball well at Kentucky but I believe he’s a better shooter than his percentages indicate. He has great mechanics and arc on his shot; his percentages will improve. Fox has great anticipation at the defensive end. He’s a feisty defender and his quicks translate to the defensive end. He has elite lateral quickness. He has the potential to be an elite defender but must add strength to reach that potential; screens currently eat him up. Still, he’s an opportunistic defender who gives great effort.

De’Aaron Fox was born Dec. 20, 1997 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother Lorraine played Division I basketball at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and his father Aaron played Division II football at Fort hays State University in Kansas. Fox attended Cypress Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, where he led the basketball team to three straight district titles. The point guard put up incredibly consistent numbers during his first three high school seasons, having averaged 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during his freshman season, 22.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 4.2 APG as a sophomore, and 23.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 3.5 APG as a junior. Fox then took his scoring to another level during his senior campaign as he averaged 31.3 PPG, to go along with 7.2 RPG, 3.9 APG and 2.8 steals per game. He was named Texas Mr. Basketball, an honor that has been received by many former Celtics including Marcus Smart, Kendrick Perkins and Shaquille O’Neal. ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports all ranked Fox as the No. 6 high school prospect in recruiting class of 2016. He ultimately chose to attend the University of Kentucky over Arizona, Kansas, Louisville and LSU. Following his senior season, Fox played in the McDonald’s All-American game, the Nike Hoops Summit, and the Jordan Brand Classic. He was named co-MVP of the latter competition, along with fellow Wildcats commit and projected lottery pick Malik Monk. During his lone season at Kentucky, Fox averaged 16.7 PPG, an SEC-leading 4.6 APG and 3.9 RPG, all while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, 24.6 percent from 3-point range and 73.9 percent from the free-throw line. The point guard notched his highest assist total of the season in his debut on Nov. 11 when he dished out 12 dimes, while also scoring 12 points, against Stephen F. Austin. He tallied 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Nov. 11 against Arizona State. It was just the second triple-double in program history, and the first since Chris Mills in 1988. Fox was named the SEC Tournament MVP after averaging 22.0 PPG on 61.8 percent shooting from the field while leading the Wildcats to the conference title. He helped Kentucky earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and led the team to the Elite 8 while averaging 21.3 PPG. Fox’s best performance came during the Sweet 16 when he faced off against UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, whom many tabbed as the top point guard in the 2016 recruiting class. Fox led the Wildcats to an 86-75 win with a freshman tournament-record 39-point effort, while Ball was limited to just 10 points. The Kentucky point guard was then held to just 13 points during the Elite 8, as the Wildcats fell 75-73 to the eventual NCAA champion UNC Tar Heels. He led the team in scoring during all seven postseason contests and averaged 21.6 PPG during that span. Fox was named to the First-team All-SEC, the SEC All-Freshman Team, was an All-American Honorable Mention and was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award. On April 3, 2017, Fox decided to forego his sophomore season as he declared for the NBA Draft.