Who is De'Aaron Fox? Scouting report, bio, analysis of top NBA draft prospect

Get the full breakdown on De'Aaron Fox's strengths and weaknesses.

Author:
Khadrice Rollins
Publish date:
Jun 22, 2017

De'Aaron Fox was one of many talented point guards expected to go early in the draft this year thanks to an impressive close to his freshman season at Kentucky. The Sacramento Kings made it happen with the No. 5 overall pick.

His speed with the ball in his hands and ability to attack the rim helped the Wildcats dictate pace in games all season. Add in his two impressive showings against fellow prospect Lonzo Ball, and there is plenty of reason to to trust Fox at the helm of an offense.

SI.com's Andrew Sharp wrote about Fox in a piece published last week.

Learn more about Fox by checking out a scouting report and bio below.

De'Aaron Fox scouting report

Stats: 16.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.6 APG, 47.9% FG, 24.6% 3FG

Bio: Fox’s strong final stretch at Kentucky created serious momentum that’s lifted him into the upper tier of prospects. He partnered with Malik Monk to carry the Wildcats, making first-team All-SEC and winning conference tourney MVP. As an aggressive, hyper-athletic, defensive-minded playmaker, he stands as an intriguing point of comparison to Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball at the top of the draft. He’s likely to be drafted somewhere among the top five picks.

Strengths: The first thing you notice about Fox is his speed and agility with the ball in his hands, which was a game-changer at the college level. He’s light on his feet, loves to push in transition and has no problem finding his way to the rim, where he’s a creative finisher. He has the ability to be a standout defender with his lateral quickness and instincts in the passing lanes, and has solid size for his position. Fox is an intelligent kid with a vibrant personality that lends itself to on-court leadership, and his energy on both ends of the floor is often contagious.

Weaknesses: Fox must pull his jump shot together in order to become a star in the NBA. He’s left-handed, and his mechanics aren’t bad, but he struggled with confidence and consistency at Kentucky and will have to do enough to keep defenders honest and open the game up for himself at the next level. He probably won’t be a great shooter, but he can become a passable one. Fox also has extremely thin legs and a spindly lower body that will need to fill out.

- Jeremy Woo

Grade: A

The Kings coveted Fox throughout the predraft process and get their man at No. 5. He’s exactly the building block Sacramento needs and was the best prospect left on the board. Fox is one of the fastest players in the draft with the ball in his hands, could become a high-level defender at his position and has star potential if his jump shot improves. This long, winding rebuild just got a lot more legitimate. - Jeremy Woo