Former University of Kentucky men’s basketball star De’Aaron Fox (2017) has been named the 2022-23 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year, a remarkable accomplishment in the award’s inaugural season. Fox beat out Miami’s Jimmy Butler and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, earning 91 of the possible 100 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters.
This award further highlights the exceptional coaching talent of UK head coach John Calipari, who has now coached a player that has won each of the major NBA honors. Calipari is the only collegiate coach in history with this distinction. His former players have achieved Most Valuable Player (Derrick Rose – 2011), Rookie of the Year (Rose – 2009, Tyreke Evans – 2010, Karl-Anthony Towns – 2016), Most Improved Player (Julius Randle – 2021), Defensive Player of the Year (Marcus Camby – 2007), Sixth Man of the Year (Tyler Herro – 2022), and now Clutch Player of the Year.
Fox, in his sixth NBA season, has been an integral part of the Sacramento Kings’ success, helping the team reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006. He started all 73 regular-season games in which he appeared, averaging 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. Fox earned his first-ever NBA All-Star Game roster selection in 2023.
The Houston native led all NBA players in clutch scoring during the regular season, accumulating 180 points and shooting 54.8% in clutch moments. Fox’s outstanding performance at the rim, boasting a 78.0% field-goal clip, was the highest mark of any guard in the league. With Fox leading the charge, the Kings were 21-13 in clutch situations.
As a Wildcat, Fox was part of a march to the Elite Eight and a 2017 Southeastern Conference Tournament title. He was an All-SEC First Team selection and the SEC Tournament MVP, setting a UK freshman-record with 39 points in a Sweet 16 matchup against UCLA. Fox averaged 16.7 points and 4.6 assists per game for the Wildcats before being drafted fifth overall by the Kings in 2017.
Currently holding a 2-0 series advantage, Fox and the Kings are set to face the Golden State Warriors in the third game of the opening series on Thursday. Fox showcased his clutch play in the Kings’ opening-game victory, scoring 38 points in his playoff debut, tying for the second-most points in NBA history.
Kentucky leads the nation with 27 players on NBA opening-day rosters, more than any other college program. Duke, with 24 players, is the only other school with more than 20 players in the NBA. Additionally, Kentucky leads the league with 17 players on NBA playoff rosters.
Under Calipari, 45 players have been selected in the NBA Draft, including 34 first-round picks, three No. 1 overall selections, and 22 lottery picks. Calipari’s players have garnered 32 All-Star selections and seven All-NBA nods since 2010. Among all active collegiate coaches, Calipari has more total players (10) and more total All-Star selections (32) than any other coach, second only to Dean Smith (12) in All-Star nods. In 2023, Kentucky had four selections, more than any other program.
