De'Aaron Fox taking his game, Kings to new level in All-Star season

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There is a certain amount of intrigue watching an NBA player walk into the league as a 19-year-old kid barely out of high school and then seeing them progress as a player while growing into adulthood.

In Sacramento, it hasn’t always worked out with young players, regardless of how high they are selected in the draft. The constant instability of the franchise including coaching changes, front office swap outs and a revolving door of players takes a toll.

How can you expect consistency from anyone, when all they know is inconsistency?

De’Aaron Fox has navigated the ups and downs of the Kings’ franchise for six seasons. During that time he’s seen it all, including regime changes, two complete overhauls of the medical staff and four head coaches.

When Fox was announced as an All-Star replacement last week, it was hard not to smile. You aren’t supposed to root for the players you cover as a member of the media. But as someone who has watched Fox’s journey every step of the way, who saw a 165-pound wiry kid with spiky hair and a brash personality walk into the building as one of four rookies in 2017, and then see the man and player he has become, it’s hard not to get a little nostalgic.

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