De’Aaron Fox Nominated For Most Improved Player Award
May 17, 2019, 7:45 PM | Updated: 7:45 pm
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The Second Year Guard Is One Of Three Finalists
We aren’t surprised anymore.
Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox was announced as a finalist for the Most Improved Player Award by the NBA on Friday, rounding out an incredible sophomore campaign with a chance to bring home some hardware.
Fox is one of three finalists along with Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.
Russell enjoyed a breakout year for the Nets as he garnered his first All-star selection and led Brooklyn to their first postseason berth in four years. Siakam more than doubled his scoring this season as he has grown into an important piece on a contending Raptors team.
Fox, in his second-year guard out of Kentucky, clearly pushed his game to another level after an up-and-down rookie season as he improved his points per game totals (11.6 to 17.3), assists (4.4 to 7.3), field goal percentage (41% to 45%) and three-point percentage (30% to 37%). Fox improved in nearly every statistical category en route to leading the fast-paced Kings to their best season in 13 years.
After a strong showing over 81 games, there’s no question that De’Aaron Fox has arrived. On a Sacramento Kings team full of youth and promise for the first time in years, nobody wants success more than Fox, which is evident in his play style. While this nomination is an incredible moment of recognition, the best has yet to come. Like Fox said earlier this season:
“If that surprises you, then that’s you.”
Tune in to TNT on June 24th to see if Fox can bring home the Most Improved Player Award during the airing of the 2019 NBA Awards Show.
