Inside The Kings

De'Aaron Fox's Harsh Response to National Media Pundits Goes Viral

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox clarified some rumors after head coach Mike Brown was fired.

Sean Ackerman

Dec 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
Dec 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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The Sacramento Kings have been at the center of media attention in the NBA after head coach Mike Brown was relieved of his duties two days after Christmas.

Brown's firing came amid a five-game losing streak that has the Kings stuck in 12th place in the Western Conference. Despite earning a contract extension this summer, general manager Monte McNair felt letting Brown walk was in the team's best interest.

Former NBA star Lou Williams talked about Brown's firing on FanDuel's NBA show Run It Back, saying that the coach simply wasn't on the same page as his players.

(Via Lou Williams | Run It Back FDTV): "Players get traded for a lack of a fit, coaches aren't immune to that. I'm hearing that there was some pushback from how De'Aaron Fox was continuously being singled out whether it was publicly or behind the scenes... It put the front office in a position where they had to side with either the All-Star talent they have or to part ways with their former Coach of the Year."

According to Williams, tension in the Kings' locker room caused Brown's early exit. Star point guard De'Aaron Fox went to social media to refute those claims and defend his name from unnecessary slander.

(Via De'Aaron Fox | X): "There was never any push back about anything. This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bull****. So you can run with that if you want to."

Fox's response to Williams and the Run It Back show has gone viral, amassing over one million views on X (formerly Twitter) in about three hours, and has gotten the attention of all of Sacramento as he shares the truth.

Fox's leadership qualities had been questioned by fans and challenged by Brown during the Kings' losing streak. Brown tried to push Fox into stepping up and taking accountability for the team's poor performances. It was reported that Fox had a meeting with his teammates to do just that.

Even so, the Kings still fired Brown. Years of chemistry and relationships went out the door because the Kings hit a rough patch early on in the season. Sacramento remains in the playoff hunt, but wins are needed to make a run back into the top half of the conference.

The Kings lost their first game with interim head coach Doug Christie against the Los Angeles Lakers. Christie has been tasked with leading the team while a search is underway to find Brown's replacement.

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Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

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