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NBA Draft 2017: Kings take De’Aaron Fox at No. 5

By John Buhler

Feb 4, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De'Aaron Fox (0) looks on against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De'Aaron Fox (0) looks on against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sacramento Kings have selected former Kentucky Wildcats point guard De’Aaron Fox with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The Sacramento Kings waited patiently at No. 5 and got the player that they wanted the entire time. They selected former Kentucky Wildcats point guard De’Aaron Fox with the fifth selection of the 2017 NBA Draft.

Fox played one year at Kentucky where he averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Kentucky would go to the Elite Eight in Fox’s lone year playing for John Calipari at Lexington. His most notable game came against Lonzo Ball’s UCLA Bruins in the Sweet 16 in Memphis. Fox went to work on Ball and helped elevate his strong draft stock immediately.

Sacramento didn’t take a big man it didn’t need at No. 5, opting to take the best player available in Fox while simultaneously filling a major need at starting point guard. Fox is young, but oozes charisma and will attack the paint at the next level. His jump shooting needs to improve, but this kid looks to be a leader that Sacramento desperately needs.

While it hasn’t been great in Sacramento for a long time, Fox does have a reliable backcourt partner already in place in shooting guard Buddy Hield. Hield was the primary piece that Sacramento got back in the DeMarcus Cousins trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, as well as their No. 10 overall pick in this draft.

This feels very much like a Dave Joerger selection, hoping that Fox will become his own Sacramento version of what he had with the Memphis Grizzlies in the veteran Mike Conley. Not everybody is infatuated with Fox’s game, but he looks to be the type of player that the Kings will need to hopefully get out their own way.

Next: FanSided 2017 NBA Draft Tracker

Sacramento is still a way away from being a competitive team in the Western Conference. Adding a player with high upside and leadership qualities in Fox only helps.

Check out A Royal Pain for more Sacramento Kings NBA Draft analysis.