Career Timeline of De'Aaron Fox: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how De'Aaron Fox made an impact.

De'Aaron Fox, nicknamed "Swipa", is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. He played college basketball at Kentucky before being drafted fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2017. Fox experienced a breakout season in 2023, earning his first All-Star Game selection, All-NBA Team honors, and the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award. He led the Kings to their first playoff appearance since 2006. He also led the league in steals in 2024. Fox is considered a dynamic and impactful player in the NBA.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2006: Kings Missed Postseason

In 2006, the Sacramento Kings had missed the postseason. It wasn't until 2023 that the Kings made it back to the postseason.

September 2015: USA Men's Basketball Team

In September 2015, De'Aaron Fox made the 2015-16 USA Men's Basketball Men's Junior Team.

November 12, 2015: Committed to Kentucky

On November 12, 2015, De'Aaron Fox committed to Kentucky over other universities, stating it felt like a family.

January 2016: McDonald's All-American

In January 2016, De'Aaron Fox was named a McDonald's All-American.

November 13, 2016: Victory Over Canisius College

On November 13, 2016, De'Aaron Fox recorded 21 points and 3 assists during a 93–69 victory over Canisius College at the Bluegrass Showcase.

2016: Recruitment Ranking

In 2016, De'Aaron Fox was the nation's second-best point guard and ranked as a five-star recruit.

January 7, 2017: Victory over Arkansas

On January 7, 2017, De'Aaron Fox scored 27 points to go along with 6 assists in a 97–71 victory over Arkansas.

June 22, 2017: Drafted by Sacramento Kings

On June 22, 2017, De'Aaron Fox was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.

July 8, 2017: Signed Rookie Contract

On July 8, 2017, De'Aaron Fox signed his rookie scale contract with the Sacramento Kings.

October 18, 2017: NBA Debut

On October 18, 2017, De'Aaron Fox made his NBA debut for the Sacramento Kings against the Houston Rockets, scoring 14 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

October 23, 2017: Career-High Points

On October 23, 2017, De'Aaron Fox recorded a career-high 19 points against the Phoenix Suns.

December 8, 2017: Victory Over the Pelicans

On December 8, 2017, De'Aaron Fox scored 14 points, 4 assist and 2 steals in a 116–109 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.

2017: Declared for NBA Draft

At the conclusion of his freshman season in 2017, De'Aaron Fox announced that he would enter the NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility to live out his dream.

2017: Endorsement Deal with Nike

In 2017, De'Aaron Fox signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike prior to the NBA draft.

2017: Drafted by Sacramento Kings

In 2017, De'Aaron Fox was selected fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings in the NBA draft after playing college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.

January 6, 2018: Victory Over the Nuggets

On January 6, 2018, De'Aaron Fox recorded 18 points and 7 assist in a 106–98 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

January 25, 2018: Victory Over the Heat

On January 25, 2018, De'Aaron Fox scored 14 points, 4 assist and a putback slam dunk with 3.3 seconds left giving the Sacramento Kings the lead in an 89–88 win over the Miami Heat.

January 28, 2018: Season-High Points

On January 28, 2018, De'Aaron Fox scored a season-high 26 points against the San Antonio Spurs.

November 1, 2018: First Career Triple-Double

On November 1, 2018, De'Aaron Fox achieved his first career triple-double with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

2018: Self-Proclaimed Fastest Player

In 2018, De'Aaron Fox stated that he believed he was the fastest person in the league from baseline to baseline with the ball in his hands.

2019: Most Improved Player Nomination

In 2019, De'Aaron Fox significantly improved in every major statistical category and was nominated for the NBA Most Improved Player Award, finishing second to Pascal Siakam.

July 31, 2020: Career-High Points

On July 31, 2020, De'Aaron Fox scored a then career-high 39 points in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs, marking the Kings' first game in the Orlando bubble after a 4-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 25, 2020: Contract Extension

On November 25, 2020, De'Aaron Fox signed a five-year, $163 million contract extension with the Sacramento Kings.

February 8, 2021: Western Conference Player of the Week

On February 8, 2021, De'Aaron Fox was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career.

March 26, 2021: Career-High Points

On March 26, 2021, De'Aaron Fox scored a then career-high 44 points in a victory over the Golden State Warriors.

March 29, 2021: Player of the Week

On March 29, 2021, De'Aaron Fox was named Player of the Week for the second time.

February 2022: Criticism after shutting down NFT project

In February 2022, De'Aaron Fox faced criticism for shutting down his NFT project “SwipaTheFox” with $1.5 million in unpaid investment to approximately 100,000 investors. He explained his decision on Twitter, citing dissatisfaction with the project's quality and pausing it until the end of the NBA season, without addressing demands for investment returns.

March 5, 2022: Career-High Points

On March 5, 2022, De'Aaron Fox tied his then career-high with 44 points in a loss against the Dallas Mavericks.

November 5, 2022: Game-Winning Shot

On November 5, 2022, De'Aaron Fox put up 37 points, alongside a buzzer-beating, game-winning three, in a win over the Orlando Magic.

2022: All Star Appearance

In 2026, it was marked as De'Aaron Fox's second official All Star appearance since the 2022–23 NBA season.

February 10, 2023: All-Star Selection

On February 10, 2023, De'Aaron Fox was named an All-Star for the first time in his career as a reserve, replacing injured players Stephen Curry and Zion Williamson.

April 19, 2023: NBA Clutch Player of the Year

On April 19, 2023, De'Aaron Fox was named the inaugural recipient of the NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award.

October 2023: Shoe Deal with Curry Brand

In October 2023, De'Aaron Fox signed a shoe deal with Curry Brand, becoming the first official signature athlete for the brand.

November 17, 2023: Season-High Points

On November 17, 2023, De'Aaron Fox scored a season-high 43 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs.

2023: All-Star Selection and Clutch Player of the Year

In 2023, De'Aaron Fox had a breakout season, being selected to his first All-Star Game and All-NBA Team. He was also named NBA Clutch Player of the Year, leading the Kings to their first postseason berth since 2006.

March 6, 2024: Career-High Points

On March 6, 2024, De'Aaron Fox tied his then career high with 44 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

November 15, 2024: Career-High Points

On November 15, 2024, De'Aaron Fox scored a career-high 60 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, setting a Kings franchise record for the most points scored by a Kings player in a game.