Kevin Garnett compares Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox to iconic NBA duo
KG confidently compares Fox, Sabonis to legendary NBA duo originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Together, Kings All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have made magical things come to life in Sacramento this season.
Their pick-and-roll perfection and chemistry on the court make opposing team’s jobs a nightmare to defend. It’s something that hasn’t been seen since, well, Karl Malone and John Stockton, in the eyes of NBA great Kevin Garnett.
“Are they the new Stockton-Malone?” Garnett asked NBA champion Matt Barnes on the latest episode of his “Ticket and the Truth” podcast. “There’s no two better. We could say James [Harden] and Joel [Embiid]. Not like this though.”
Fox and Sabonis have helped ignite a historically great offense this season and led the team to its first playoff berth since 2006. They are two players who can go and get a bucket at any given time, but their playmaking and unselfishness have created opportunities for everyone else around them.
The pick-and-roll action, Sabonis’ screen setting, Fox’s speed and every other Kings player’s non-stop movement have resulted in a 119.0 offensive rating this season -- the highest the NBA ever has seen.
But you can’t throw out “pick-and-roll” and “perfection” without naming Malone and Stockton. They executed the pick-and-roll beautifully and created one of the most famous combinations in NBA history.
Barnes agreed with Garnett's comparison while also offering high praise for Sabonis and the Kings.
“The way Sabonis can pass the ball, too,” Barnes added. “Sacramento’s going to be fun in the playoffs. It’s going to be uphill sledding because it’s new to them, but they got talent and this is where they start building their foundation. It’s now.
"I think they’re going to make a very solid showing, and I can see them playing in the second round and getting hot, even going to the Western Conference Finals. But I think this is a great building block to adding more pieces and continuing to build a steady foundation out there in Sac.”
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This season, Fox is averaging 25.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists. Meanwhile, Sabonis leads the NBA in double-doubles and is averaging 19.2 points on an incredible 61.4 percent shooting from the field, 12.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
It's no secret that special things are happing in Sacramento this season, and the best part for the Kings is that it's not over yet.
