De'Aaron Fox has settled into the role San Antonio had in mind when it brought him in, and the Spurs are reaping the benefits.
On Saturday night, San Antonio ran past the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-111 for its fourth straight win. Anthony Edwards was out for Minnesota, but the Spurs still controlled the game from start to finish, and they were especially sharp after halftime.
Victor Wembanyama was the headliner, and he put together a monster night: a career-high 34 shots, 43 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots. He was the best player on the floor by a wide margin.
But Fox’s night mattered just as much to the bigger picture. He finished with 22 points, seven assists and eight rebounds, a steady line that fit exactly what San Antonio needs from him.
That’s the version of Fox the Spurs traded for in February of 2025, when they sent out three first-round picks and three role players to land him. A finger injury limited him that season, and a calf injury slowed him early last season, even though he still made the All-Star team. Through six games this year, though, he’s finally looked like the dependable second option next to Wembanyama that San Antonio envisioned.
Wembanyama made it clear how much Fox changes the offense.
"We know to go to him late in the game, we know to put the ball in his hands," said Wemby. "He knows to go get the ball.
And he's been really locked in defensively, too. So it's a true point guard."
Fox sees the fit just as clearly.
"It's hard to stop us when we're all on the same page," he offered.
He also sounded comfortable embracing the supporting role. After starting his career with the Kings, Fox said he’s simply happy to be part of winning basketball now. He praised Wembanyama’s ability around the rim and then explained how his own game feeds everything else.
"Vic's probably the best roller ever to play the game, probably the best lob threat ever," he said, before pivoting to his own skill set. "I'm just trying to be efficient, trying to affect the game in different ways.
Get downhill, I think before I was having like 20 paint touches a night, and I think that's an emphasis. If I'm able to get into the paint, either finish, lob to Vic, or just kick the ball out, and that just starts the domino effect.
It's not even necessarily kicking the ball out for someone to shoot a 3. It's just to get them in rotations, and I think we play better."
After dropping their first two games, the Spurs have now won four in a row and are looking every bit like one of the league’s best teams. The Fox-Wembanyama pairing is a huge reason why.
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Wembanyama Opens Up About The Scare That Changed Everything
Victor Wembanyamas early-2025 blood clot scare did more than end his 2024-25 season with the Spurs ahead of schedule. It also forced a reset in how he sees himself, both as a player and as a person, and he has been open about the way the health issue changed his outlook on life and basketball.
For San Antonio, the most striking part is how that experience appears to have carried over into his day-to-day presence with the team. Wembanyama says he has become more expressive and emotionally engaged, and he has linked the ordeal to both personal growth and better play, a reminder that the biggest developments around a young star are not always measured in points or blocks. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Brought A Wild Halloween Look To Wolves Night
Victor Wembanyama turned the pregame scene into part costume party, part pop-culture nod before the Spurs took on the Timberwolves, showing up dressed as Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher. It fit neatly with his well-known interest in fantasy literature, and it also continued a Halloween tradition that has become a little annual subplot around the Spurs, with other players joining in on the fun.
For San Antonio, the timing added a bit of extra color to a night that came with some momentum after a recent winning streak. Wembanyamas third Halloween-themed NBA arrival was less about the game itself than the personality around it, the kind of detail that makes a young star feel larger than the box score before the opening tip. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A Delicate Balance As Wembanyama And Fox Roll
While Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox have helped keep San Antonio moving in the right direction, the Spurs are still managing the health side of the ledger carefully. Head coach Mitch Johnson said the team is taking a methodical, patient approach with Harris as he works back from a calf strain, a reminder that the early part of the season is about more than just the standings for a team trying to build something sustainable.
Wembanyama is still producing at a career-best scoring pace even while dealing with shooting struggles, and Fox continues to look like a steadying force at point guard after turning in a strong all-around line with 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Stephon Castle also showed his toughness by playing through a migraine in a recent game, which speaks to the competitive edge inside the locker room, but the Spurs know the bigger picture depends on keeping the rotation intact and getting everyone back to full strength at the right time. [Read more 🡒]