Fox appreciates ‘blessing’ of joining NBA’s 10,000-point club originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – De’Aaron Fox didn’t make much of a splash after signing his name in the Kings’ record books. For the NBA All-Star point guard, helping Sacramento to its first win of the season was far more important.

Fox joined an elite club when he became the fifth player in franchise history – and second in the Sacramento era – to reach the Golden 10,000 in the third quarter of the Kings’ 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday 1 center scored points in his career.

It was a moment definitely worth celebrating, but one that Fox somehow lost sight of until he scored in the third quarter and reached the milestone. The fact that it happened during a Kings win made it a little sweeter.

“I forgot that I was actually so close, but to do it at home and of course to do it with a win makes it that much more special,” Fox said. “Not many people can do that. The average length of an NBA career is about 3 ½ (years), literally one contract. So to be in the league for so long and to be able to put the ball in the basket so many times, it’s definitely a blessing.”

Fox, 26, had been working toward this since the Kings selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Fox’s scoring average increased in his first three seasons, and in the last six seasons he averaged more than 24 points per game.

Against Portland, Fox had uneven night shooting – 9 of 20 overall, 2 of 8 on 3-pointers – but still had enough of an impact to help Sacramento get out of town with a win.

Afterward, Kings coach Mike Brown marveled at the work his veteran point guard has put in over the years.

“Man, what a career,” Brown said. “What he did for the city of Sacramento and the organization at such a young age to achieve his 10,000 points^Th Point, that should definitely be celebrated. This is a great milestone at this point in his career.”

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