De’Aaron Fox addresses mysterious ankle injury, MRI results as Kings prepare to play Nets
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox discussed his lingering ankle injury for the first time following shootaround Wednesday as his team prepared to play the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center.
Fox is listed as questionable against the Nets after missing the past five games due to left ankle soreness. Fox said an MRI showed no signs of structural damage, but he still feels discomfort when cutting and making lateral movements.
“It’s getting better,” Fox said. “I want to come back as close to 100% as I can.”
The Kings (18-34) have lost seven in a row and 12 of 14 to fall three games behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. They are 1-8 in games Fox has missed this season. Fox was asked when he would return to the lineup.
“I don’t have the answer to that,” he said. “When it’s not hurting to where every cut I make hurts, so I don’t know.”
Fox, 24, is averaging 21.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists this season. He has not played since posting 27 points, six rebounds and eight assists in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 19. He was held out due to an unspecified ankle injury when the Kings visited the Milwaukee Bucks three days later even though he was not listed on the team’s injury report before the game.
Interim coach Alvin Gentry later explained Fox was experiencing ankle soreness. Gentry said the injury was “no big deal” and Fox would play “if this was a playoff series or something,” but he was ruled out after testing the ankle before each game during the team’s winless five-game road trip.
Fox said he twisted his ankle in the game against the Pistons. He finished the game that night but began to feel discomfort after the team arrived in Milwaukee.
“I’ve twisted my ankle a lot of times,” Fox said. “That’s the reason I wear ankle braces, and usually I’m fine and it will hurt for a little bit, but in Milwaukee it just felt different. Tried to do a move and it hurt, so I was out and it’s kind of been lingering … so for me it’s just trying to be able to come to a stop without feeling pain.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2022 at 1:37 PM.
