De’Aaron Fox’s decision to attend the 2017 NBA Draft Combine is a smart one
By Max Holm
With fellow prospects like Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonzo Ball skipping the 2017 NBA Draft Combine, De’Aaron Fox has a chance to close the gap at point guard.
Another year, another slew of NBA prospects skipping the NBA Draft Combine. From Lonzo Ball to Josh Jackson, there will be quite a few notable absences in Chicago this week. If you look at the complete list of players skipping the invitation, though, you won’t find De’Aaron Fox’s name.
Fox is one of a handful of fantastic point guard prospects in the 2017 draft class and is making a statement by attending the combine. Markelle Fultz will be the only other top point guard prospect in Chicago.
With so many top point guards, there has naturally been a lot of comparisons over the last several months. Over this time, each guy has gotten labels. Fultz is the complete point guard; Ball is the generational passer and thinker; Dennis Smith Jr. can fill it up, but is a worry on defense; Frank Ntilikina is a mystery and better off as a combo guard; Fox is a tough defender and amazing athlete, but can’t shoot.
The numbers don’t lie. In 36 games, he shot under 25 percent from three and hit just 36 percent of his two-point jumpers. That won’t get it done at the next level. We’ve seen this archetype before and there have been mixed results. Most non-shooting point guards have panned out like Elfrid Payton and Michael Carter-Williams. But there are success stories as well, like John Wall.
Not your average non-shooting point guard
Fox will be hoping to prove he can overcome his non-shooting label. One thing he has going for him is he’s a better athlete and much faster than most recent non-shooting point guards. Seriously, Fox can fly down the court.
He’s already shown he’s not easily definable by his combination of incredible speed, athleticism and competitiveness. We also already saw that Fox is not just another one-and-done prospect when he broke down in Kentucky’s locker room following their loss in the NCAA Tournament to North Carolina. He showed his character and demeanor there. So it’s not too surprising that he’s attending the combine.
Where some prospects don’t want to risk hurting their draft stock, Fox is ready to go out there and prove he’s as good as any player or point guard in this draft. Teams should love that confidence and attitude.
He is a high-level competitor and the kind of guy most agents won’t let their clients work out against. Just ask Lonzo Ball. Judging by the emotion he showed after the loss to UNC, it wouldn’t be surprising if he blows away NBA teams with his personality and demeanor.
As a prospect Fox can really do it all but shoot well. He’s a fierce defensive nuisance, a great passer, a brilliant athlete and gets to the basket at will. On the season, Fox finished 64 percent of his shots at the rim. Not only did 48 percent of his baskets come at the rim, but he also has a nice floater, which is imperative for any NBA point guard.
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Fox’s skill set will be best on display once he starts working out for teams, but he’ll get to start impressing executives and teams earlier than most of his peers. For him, that’s a great decision and the epitome of his character.