'Good Luck': How Spurs Star De'Aaron Fox Found 'His Stride' at Right Time

You could throw a million defensive coverages at the San Antonio Spurs; their goal is to have the answer. And then beat you with it.

"We're not worried about how teams guard us," De'Aaron Fox explained after a 125-116 win over the Boston Celtics in which Victor Wembanyama was given unlimited space from 3. "We've been guarded in traditional ways, we've been guarded in untraditional ways."

Wembanyama wasn't about to complain about the extra real estate Boston afforded him. Neither was Fox, who posted an efficient 25-point performance with nine assists and only one turnover. Tuesday night's contest was another example of his personal impact.

When teams focus the Frenchman, they tend to forget about the Fox.

"He's kicked it into another gear," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "The eye test proves it. His numbers prove it. That's an adult who's hitting his stride."

San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) controls the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers guard V.J.Edgecombe (77) during the — Mar 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) controls the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe (77) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

All season, Fox has faced scrutiny he aims to avoid. Concerns over his fit next to two ball-dominant guards in Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have continually been disproven, yet even candor about his offensive prowess is blocked from his worldview.

Fox's social media features cars, watches and homes for sale instead of basketball. He's proud of that. Especially being focused on playing the only way he knows how.

"I'm just playing," he said. "There's nothing that's really a point of emphasis."

Over the last five games, four of which have come during San Antonio's six-game home stand following its month-long Rodeo Road Trip., Fox has tallied 38 assists and five turnovers. He's averaged just over his season average of 19 points per game, but slipped into a heavy facilitator role apt for his usage with the Spurs.

"What I see from him is great decision making," Wembanyama said of his teammate. "Really being in peace with the basketball gods. Not forcing things. Doing the right play."

Coming from Sacramento, Fox handled the duties of being the Kings' main playmaker. His All-Star nod in 2023 and Clutch Player of the Year Award exhibited his potential, yet with only one trip to the postseason to show for it, the 28-year-old felt dissatisfied.

Asking to play alongside Wembanyama came with the understanding of taking a figurative back seat, though for Fox, it simply meant reserving bigger games for bigger moments.

Finding his stride as the Spurs push for the playoffs was always the plan.

"Once you get a taste of the postseason, you figure out ways to get through the regular season," Fox explained, citing his time with the Kings. "Being able to get used to that physically and mentally ... I just want to be able to be at my peak at the end of the season."

Mar 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard De'Aaron Fox (4) on the bench in the second half against the Houston Rockets at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Johnson, specifically, has lauded Fox's tendency to lead by example since his arrival. Laughing at the idea of his secondary star being reduced to just a distributor, he expressed how crucial Fox's presence has been for his squad. His teammates have seen it from Day 1.

"His game speaks for itself," Harrison Barnes said during his availability on Media Day in September. "Those are the things most people are going to see, but off the court he’s able to connect with guys ... he can connect with people."

Adding a veteran presence was important for San Antonio, hoping to break out of its years-long rebuild. And as much as it's received from Fox in leadership, he's shown in play. Fox leads the Spurs in pace (103.65) and falls behind only Castle in assist percentage (29.5%).

"Over the past couple of years, I have not gotten this many open shots, I feel like, ever," Devin Vassell said, speaking on both Fox and Wembanyama. "They make my life so much easier ... (and) if we're knocking down shots, they can't double team ... it spreads the court out."

That spacing has handed the Spurs several wins. And while they look to contests where they could have pulled through, they fall back on the knowledge of their process. Coming back from a 25-point deficit to the LA Clippers could have been a loss.

They know better than to get caught up in "what ifs?"

"It always goes both ways," Fox said. "You always feel like you should've won more games than you did. We could possibly already have 50-plus wins. But we're just continuing to focus on what we're doing. Getting better day-by-day."

Mar 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) celebrates in the second half against the Houston Rockets at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Facing the Detroit Pistons, LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets in successive games forced the Spurs' hand. If they wanted to make a case for the playoffs, they'd have to survive the gauntlet. So far, they have.

They boast a 48-17 record with 17 games to play as the NBA's hottest team since February.

"We've answered the question," Fox said, "but we've still got a ways to go."

San Antonio knows Wembanyama could give it 30 points if needed. It knows Castle and Harper can be trusted to get to the rim. In the same vein, it knows Fox could do both.

And if defenders find themselves on an island with the latter? The Spurs know what they're expecting. Fox has found his stride at exactly the right time.

"Good luck," Devin Vassell said. Then he smiled.