De’Aaron Fox, Franz Wagner named Players of the Week

Fox scored 49 points. This comes just one game — and one night — after scoring 60 points. “I was a little tired coming in today, but I feel like when the game started, I was fine,” Fox said. “I’m not going to say I’m not tired … but I can’t say this back-to-back has made me more tired than any other back-to-back.” He became the second Sacramento player to score at least 100 points in a two-game span, with the other being DeMarcus Cousins in 2016 when he scored 104. Fox is just the third player in NBA history to score at least 109 over two days, joining Kobe Bryant (2007) and Wilt Chamberlain (17 different times). “Woah,” Kings coach Mike Brown said when he heard that stat, a big grin spreading across his face. “The back-to-back, the overtime game, him playing 75 minutes last night … for him to come with us missing three of our top six guys, that’s what says OK, he’s DeAaron Fox and he did his job. Wilt, Kobe, Foxy.” -via ESPN / November 17, 2024

Tim MacMahon: Players who have scored at least 109 points over two games, per @ESPNStatsInfo: De’Aaron Fox (last two nights) Kobe Bryant (2007) Wilt Chamberlain (15 TIMES!) -via Twitter @espn_macmahon / November 17, 2024

Fred Katz: De’Aaron Fox has scored 109 points in the past 27 hours. It’s the second-most points a (non-Wilt) player has ever scored on a back-to-back, behind only Kobe Bryant, who once dropped 110 total points on consecutive days. -via Twitter @FredKatz / November 17, 2024

Jason Beede: “[He’s] stepped up to the challenge and guys register that, recognize that and see exactly what he does on a daily basis so it’s kind of in your way, ‘That’s just Franz.’ That’s what’s so important about him and who he is,” #Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Franz Wagner’s play. pic.x.com/mnF9ICTuL7 -via Twitter @therealBeede / November 17, 2024

Franz Wagner has morphed into Orlando’s go-to guy and primary playmaker with Banchero out. It took Wagner a few games (and getting over a nasty non-COVID-19 stomach bug) to acclimate to the larger offensive role, but he has averaged 27.8 points and 6.0 assists per game over the last five games. “I think it’s a little of a mentality shift for me as well,” Wagner said after Tuesday’s victory over Charlotte. “The way I grew up playing was a lot off the ball and just taking really good shots all the time. Sometimes it’s OK to take a midrange shot and stuff like that. So, that’s something that’s not ingrained necessarily, or wasn’t taught to me from a young age. So, it’s a good challenge for me.” -via New York Times / November 15, 2024

“I think it’s a little of a mentality shift for me as well,” Wagner said after Tuesday’s victory over Charlotte. “The way I grew up playing was a lot off the ball and just taking really good shots all the time. Sometimes it’s OK to take a midrange shot and stuff like that. So, that’s something that’s not ingrained necessarily, or wasn’t taught to me from a young age. So, it’s a good challenge for me.” -via New York Times / November 14, 2024