De’Aaron Fox can’t hide pain over firing of Kings coach Mike Brown

De’Aaron Fox and Mike Brown were like father and son inside in the Kings organization, and the one-time All-Star hasn’t been shy about his feelings towards the club after they discharged their coach. Ever since, rumours have been flying in and out, suggesting that the 27-year-old now wishes to be traded out. 

Following the tactician’s dismissal last week, De’Aaron told ESPN that they had a very strong communication, always committed to the betterment of the Sacramento squad. “He’d text me every day with a grade,” the player shared.

It seems like Fox enjoys to be pushed to reach his potential. “I’ve always been coached hard,” said the New Orleans native. “I went to Kentucky because [former coach John Calipari] would be hard on me.”

Kings' De'Aaron Fox: 'Never any pushback' against former head coach Mike Brown. https://t.co/L7OHAtPyH2 pic.twitter.com/7akozUX3DA

— theScore (@theScore) December 30, 2024

During last week’s loss to the Pistons, Brown criticized his former pupil over a bad foul he committed on Jaden Ivey, during what happened to be the coach’s final postgame conference in Sacramento. Even though the press made a huge deal about it, De’Aaron insisted that this situation had nothing to do with the fact that he was later fired.

“I feel like there’s this perception that people thought that we were at odds,” Fox assured. “You can ask anybody in this organization: me and Mike have never even had an argument. We could disagree with something. We talked about it and it was gone.”

The point guard knows very well that whatever his former coach would ask him to do, it was for the best of the team and his own career. For example, three weeks ago Brown told Fox could become one of the best two-way players ever at his position, but only if he kept pushing himself.

“I was fine with that,” said the Kings star. “He told me things, then he said it to the media. And obviously he still played me 40 minutes because he wanted me to do those things. He was being tough on that.”

Ever there are any doubts left about what De’Aaron really feels about his former coach, just go back to what he said this past summer when management consulted with him about awarding Mike with a three-year, $25.5 million extension. Fox said, “I don’t want another coach.”