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NBA DRAFT 2017

June 22, 2017

De'Aaron Fox

Brooklyn, New York

De'AARON FOX: Oh, I feel like what I bring to the Sacramento Kings is just leadership, a lot more youth. It's an extremely young team, and just a point guard that's able to play both ends of the court.

Q. What were the lead-up moments like for you sitting there with your family? I saw Coach Cal was here but it seemed to drag on for a while, waiting for names to be picked. What was that like?
De'AARON FOX: It did feel extremely long. We were talking about that. But we were just talking about how much of a blessing it is to just be here. Not a lot of kids at 19 years old get to sit in the Green Room at the NBA Draft. But just being up here now, emotions kind of change a little bit. You're sitting there anxious waiting to hear your name called, and once it's called, it's like the world lifted off your shoulders, like there's zero gravity. I feel like I'm flying out.

Q. When did you know? At what point did you know you were being selected fifth?
De'AARON FOX: After Phoenix picked. Just shortly after that.

Q. When did you know to ask for the visor?
De'AARON FOX: Actually I asked for a visor with every team, and Sacramento heard it, and they blessed me by giving me a visor. It looks good, doesn't it?

Q. De'Aaron, I think you had said before the draft you thought you were the best point guard in this draft. Two points taken ahead of you. Is that any kind of motivation for you?
De'AARON FOX: Well, like I always said, it doesn't matter what order we get picked in, the motivation is already there. We're all going to the NBA. There's motivation every game. You're always playing a great point guard. But is it more motivation? Not really. You're just going in and playing basketball.

Q. What's it mean, three point guards among the top five picks to be part of what's going to be known as a point guard draft?
De'AARON FOX: I mean, it's extremely gratifying for me to be in that top five, and we already knew that this was going to be a pretty tough draft and it was pretty loaded at the point guard position, and for me to be up there is just a blessing.

Q. De'Aaron, you mentioned the other point guards. With Fultz going No. 1, Ball, they got a lot of attention during the pre-draft process, does that motivate you, the fact that you were third and those guys were getting so much hype?
De'AARON FOX: No, it doesn't motivate me any more. I want to say probably with Lonzo being No. 2 to LA and me being here, it gave a lot of people what they wanted. We'll have to play each other four times in a year. But like I said, it doesn't give me any more motivation. Every night you've got to bring your "A" game in the NBA, especially playing the point guard position.

Q. How well do you know Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere, and what factor do you think that might be to other Kentucky guys?
De'AARON FOX: Well, I've known Skal for a few years. Willie I see him every once in a while really just through Kentucky, but Skal I've known when we were in high school. They could have given good words. I know how they play. I was playing with two bigs that could catch a lob anywhere, and as good as Skal is, and you keep seeing both of them getting better, I thought it was a good fit.

Q. Sacramento has the tenth pick, too. How strongly would you encourage them to make Malik (Monk)?
De'AARON FOX: If they take him, I'd be happy playing with Malik again. But I think they're actually about to pick now.

Q. Harder question: Sacramento has really struggled to find any direction. Are you going to be the guy that gives this Kings team direction?
De'AARON FOX: For me going into the NBA, I know it's going to be tough to change a team, but for me I wanted to come in and be able to affect the game right away. A lot of people say I could be a franchise changer, and that's what I really want to be.

Q. Sacramento has not made the Playoffs since 2006. They were once a proud franchise about 13 years ago. What intangible qualities do you have that could at least lead Sacramento in the right direction next season?
De'AARON FOX: Just the leadership. Sometimes when a team is not doing too well, they probably didn't have the leadership that they wanted. Especially playing the point guard position, usually that's the leader on the team, and I know I'm going to come in, the youngest guy on the team, but just try to earn everybody's respect. I have a few friends that are actually on the team already, so that'll pretty much help me.

But just going in there and just being able to lead, they're in a tough division, a tough conference, but everybody has their jobs, but I just want to come in and be ready to turn it around.

Q. You are going on to a rebuilding team. Will it be frustrating for you not to be winning games in the first year, where you have to adjust from being on a great winning program like Kentucky in college?
De'AARON FOX: It'll be different, but a lot of people are going through it. A lot of people are going to a team like this and change it around and became championship teams. So that's just one thing I want to do. I know it'll take a few years. Nothing changes overnight. But for me it will be different. They asked me about that. But we're just trying to steer this franchise in the right direction. Great question.

Q. Now that you're in the NBA, you're in a pack with such talented guards. How do you separate yourself?
De'AARON FOX: It's tough. It's difficult. But for me, I feel like defensively I'm going to try to do that. But going into the league like this where the point guard position is the toughest position to play night in and night out, you've just got to go at people because like I said, it's the toughest position, but they're going to come at you every single night. It's just trying to remain consistent over the entire year.

Q. You have a megawatt smile, you're very articulate. The other two point guards are going into markets where the endorsements come a lot easier. Sacramento is not really known for Fortune 500 headquarters. I was curious if that's a frustration for you and is that something you and your agent spoke about?
De'AARON FOX: You know, the market didn't matter for me. It didn't matter what team picked me. I felt like going to Sacramento I already had a good vibe there. The fans love their basketball, they wanted me, and I felt like going in and already knowing the players, I felt like it would make that transition extremely smooth.

Q. Who are you most looking forward to playing against in the NBA, especially point guard-wise? I know you're good friends with John Wall. Talk about some other players.
De'AARON FOX: Like I said before, the point guard position is tough, and it's hard to really just single out one person because I could have Russell one night, Kyrie one night, then have a night off and have Chris Paul and John Wall and Steph. But for me, Russell is my favorite -- has been my favorite player the last year, so I would say Russell.

Q. Do you think it's your defense that sets you apart from the other two point guards taken early in the draft?
De'AARON FOX: I feel like it is that, and speed is something you really can't teach. But defensively I feel like I really separated myself because I go at people not only offensively trying to score and get my teammates involved, but defensively I've always been trying to lock someone up, and in this league it is going to be extremely tough. In this league you can't really lock up a point guard by yourself; it's more of a team effort.

Q. What's the most important thing that you've learned from Coach Cal not on the court but off the court?
De'AARON FOX: It's just fight. You've got to fight for whatever you want. That's on the court and off the court. Nothing is going to be given to you. We had the bright light on us in Lexington, and going into the NBA nothing is going to change. It's just going to get brighter.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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