Mike Brown Challenges De’Aaron Fox to Step Up and Set the Tone for the Kings…
On Wednesday, Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown delivered a clear challenge to his star point guard, De’Aaron Fox. After a narrow 130-129 loss to the Denver Nuggets the previous night, Brown didn’t shy away from holding Fox accountable, emphasizing that the team’s lack of intensity in the opening minutes played a significant role in their defeat.
“(De’Aaron) Fox has to step up,” Brown stated after practice. “He’s a great player on the verge of being a superstar, and there are those guys, and there are the superstars that win at a high level. Part of his responsibility, starting with him, is setting the tone for this team.”
Brown’s comments came after a first quarter against Denver where the Kings fell behind early, allowing the Nuggets to score 24 of their 41 first-quarter points in the paint. Sacramento struggled defensively, showing a lack of focus and physicality that allowed Denver to dominate inside.
A Slow Start Cost the Kings
The game started poorly for Sacramento, as the Nuggets quickly jumped out to a 24-9 lead before Fox was subbed out at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter. Denver’s offensive success came largely in the paint, with minimal resistance from the Kings’ defense.
“I thought, especially in the first quarter, we weren’t locked in on the small things,” Brown explained. “The way they scored in the paint in that first quarter was inexcusable.”
One particularly glaring sequence involved Aaron Gordon securing multiple offensive rebounds before tipping in a basket, all while Fox and others failed to box out or provide timely help on the glass. Though it was a teamwide lapse, Brown singled out Fox as the leader of the group.
“When things go wrong, it starts with me and ends with me,” Brown said. “But Fox has to step up. He’s that guy for us, and if he’s not locked in, the rest of the team follows suit.”
High Standards for a Budding Superstar
Brown’s criticism of Fox wasn’t meant to tear him down but to push him to reach the next level. It’s clear Brown sees Fox as the cornerstone of the Kings’ future a player capable of achieving true superstar status.
“You have a lot of responsibility if you’re that guy, and he’s that guy,” Brown said. “He can’t be a part of not being locked in, and he damn sure can’t be a part of letting it go if we’re not [locked in] as a team.”
Fox, who has emerged as one of the NBA’s most dynamic guards, has shown tremendous growth in recent years. He’s averaging career-best numbers and has become the focal point of Sacramento’s offense. However, leadership in the NBA goes beyond scoring or making flashy plays it’s about setting the tone for your team on both ends of the floor.
Brown has consistently held Fox to a higher standard since taking over as the Kings’ head coach in 2022. His reasoning is simple: if Fox can embrace that level of accountability and lead by example, it will elevate the entire team.
Responding to the Challenge
When asked how Fox has responded to his coaching, Brown praised the 26-year-old’s willingness to listen and grow.
“He’s great,” Brown said. “He’s going to look you in the eye, and he’s going to take it, and he’s going to try to respond. That’s also what a superstar does too.”
Fox has never been an overly vocal leader, but Brown believes actions speak louder than words. By playing with focus and intensity from the opening tip, Fox can set the tone for his teammates and prevent slow starts like the one that doomed them against Denver.
“If I can push him and he responds to it the right way, he allows me to coach him,” Brown said. “Then, when I coach anybody else, there ain’t much to say because I’m going at him more than I’m going at the other 17 players on the team.”
A Pattern of Slow Starts
The Kings’ loss to Denver wasn’t an isolated incident. Too often this season, Sacramento has allowed opponents to gain confidence early by failing to bring the necessary energy and attention to detail at the start of games.
In their October matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, for example, the Kings fell behind early and struggled to contain LeBron James, who dominated the fourth quarter to seal a 131-127 win for Los Angeles.
Brown acknowledged that the entire team needs to be better in this regard, but as the leader, Fox has a unique responsibility to set the standard.
Upcoming Test Against the Lakers
Sacramento has an opportunity to bounce back on Thursday night when they face the Lakers in the first of two consecutive games at home against Los Angeles. The Kings will need a stronger start to avoid a repeat of their October loss and to build momentum during their five-game homestand.
The matchup will feature another test of Fox’s ability to rise to the occasion. Can he respond to Brown’s challenge and lead his team with a sense of urgency from the opening tip?
Brown remains confident that Fox is up to the task.
“At the end of the day, if De’Aaron (Fox) doesn’t want me to be here, I’m not going to be here,” Brown said. “I understand this is a player’s league, but in the same breath, that’s the chance that I’ve got to take not only to push him but everybody else.”
The Path to Superstardom
For Fox, the journey to superstardom is about more than individual stats or accolades. It’s about elevating his team and helping the Kings win at a high level.
“You have a lot of responsibility if you’re that guy,” Brown said. “And he’s that guy.”
As Sacramento continues to develop under Brown’s leadership, the hope is that Fox will fully embrace his role as the face of the franchise. By setting the tone early and leading by example, he can help the Kings avoid the lapses that have plagued them and take the next step as a team.
The spotlight will be on Fox as the Kings take the floor against the Lakers. If he can rise to the occasion and set the tone from the opening tip, it could mark the start of a new chapter in his journey and in the Kings’ season.
