De'Aaron Fox Explodes for Career-High Performance as Kings Shock Lakers – Highlights & Reactions

SAN ANTONIO—De’Aaron Fox’s turbo-charged return is rewriting the early storyline of the Spurs’ season. After missing the first eight months of 2025 with hamstring and hand injuries, the 2023 Clutch Player of the Year roared back on Nov. 9, dropping 24 points on 64 percent shooting in his season debut as San Antonio outlasted New Orleans 126-119. Ten days later he poured in 28 points and 11 assists to bury his former team, handing the Kings their sixth straight defeat and proving his speed and mid-range mastery have traveled intact. Why it matters for San Antonio • Instant offense: Fox’s blazing first step forces defenses to collapse, creating open threes for newcomers Harrison Barnes and Kel’el Ware. • Wemby synergy: Victor Wembanyama’s gravitational pull at the rim gives Fox Curry-like space on pick-and-rolls. Early two-man sets are generating 1.24 points per possession, a top-five league mark since his return. • Clutch cure: The Spurs ranked 25th in crunch-time efficiency last season; Fox’s late-clock floater versus the Pelicans was the club’s first game-sealing bucket this year. Fantasy and betting impact Fox’s usage is already north of 30 percent, yet his minutes cap is climbing toward the mid-30s. Scoop him before the price spikes; San Antonio plays four games in Week 6, three against bottom-10 defenses. Futures bettors should note the Spurs’ West-title odds have shifted from +4000 to +2500 since his debut. What’s next The Spurs host Dallas on Friday, a national-TV showcase pitting Fox against MVP contender Luka Dončić. Expect coach Mitch Johnson to unleash more horn sets that hide Fox’s hamstring history while maximizing downhill pressure. If the pace holds, San Antonio could crack the NBA’s top-10 offenses by December—a leap few projected for the league’s youngest roster. Bottom line Fox looks fresher, faster and more decisive than at any point since his 2023 All-NBA season. With Wembanyama towering beside him, the 27-year-old guard has a clear runway to his first deep playoff push—and the Spurs suddenly have the league’s most intriguing backcourt-frontcourt duo.