De’Aaron Fox reacts after Kings fire Luke Walton, appoint Alvin Gentry as interim coach
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox said it came as a “bit of a shock” when Luke Walton was fired, but now the team has to move forward under interim coach Alvin Gentry.
Fox addressed the media following shootaround as the Kings prepared to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at Golden 1 Center. Fox was the first player to speak publicly since the Kings fired Walton on Sunday after going 6-11 to start the season.
“You’ve just got to keep on pushing,” Fox said. “Obviously, you have some guys who have been through it in the middle of a season before, but you can’t go into the game worried about what happened. We’ve still got games to play. We still have plays to run, so we still go in there and you’ve just got to be ready to play.”
The Kings fired Walton after losing seven of their last eight games, including back-to-back blowout losses at home against the Toronto Raptors on Friday and Utah Jazz on Saturday. Gentry, who joined Walton’s staff as associate head coach in October 2020, will be at the helm when the Kings face the 76ers (9-8), who have lost six of seven since Joel Embiid was sidelined by COVID-19.
Fox said a new voice can sometimes help a team change directions, but he doesn’t anticipate a dramatic change in the team’s style of play under Gentry.
“I think some things change, but I don’t think it’s going to be like a big overhaul,” Fox said.
Fox said defense and rebounding will continue to be a focal point for a team that has struggled in those areas.
“We’ve just got to be able to finish plays,” Fox said. “We’re getting a stop and giving up an offensive rebound, and I think a lot of times teams have been scoring off second-chance points. We’ve just got to be locked in and ready to play.”
Fox was asked about similarities and differences between Walton and Gentry.
“I think a lot of it is the same,” Fox said. “They want to play fast, but at the end of the day, defense is where we have to hang our hat on, and rebounding.”
Fox pointed out the roster hasn’t changed and the players have to be the ones to turn the tide.
“We have to be ready to play regardless of what’s going on on the outside, regardless of what’s going on on the inside,” Fox said. “We still have the same guys that are going to step on the court, so those guys have to be ready.”
This story was originally published November 22, 2021 at 3:48 PM.
