Kentucky’s Fox wants KP team-up
CHICAGO — Kentucky freshman point guard speedster De’Aaron Fox didn’t have much to say about the triangle but had good stuff on possibly playing alongside disgruntled Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis.
The 6-foot-3 Fox, one of only two projected top-10 picks to show up at the NBA Draft Combine, met with Knicks president Phil Jackson on Wednesday. He said triangle talk never came up.
“I’ve seen it,” Fox said. “I don’t know too much about the triangle. Everyone says it’s hard to learn. But if I have to go in there and have to play in it, I’ll learn quickly. And Porzingis, he’s amazing. Watching him, what he did this year — I really paid attention to the NBA this year because I’m about to go into this business — man, he’s great. If I’m able to play with him, I feel we can do something special.”
The Knicks consider Fox something special. According to someone who has talked to the Knicks, a segment of the front office feels Fox is below Lonzo Ball but could be a toss-up with Markelle Fultz because of his defense.
“I feel like I’m the best,’’ Fox said, pointing to his destruction of Lonzo Ball in the Sweet 16. Fox said he showed “the dog that I have, going after someone like that. He’s the consensus No. 1 pick. I’m really competitive. … Defensively I probably separate myself.”
Jackson said the team is zeroing on guards/wings.
“We got a lot of bigs,” Jackson said. “Everyone wants a great big player, but right now, we have four centers, guys with experience. We have power forwards. Right now we’re looking for wings and guards.”
Fox, who met with eight teams, including the Lakers and Sixers, said it was “cool” to meet the Zen Master, then added: “I enjoyed it. It was more like him staring at me, trying to feel me out.”
Fox said he doesn’t believe playing in New York is any brighter a glare than being at Kentucky.
“I feel I can handle it great,” Fox said. “I’m from Houston. I’ve been around big cities. Lexington is not a big city, but the way their fan base is makes it seem like a big city. I know those [Knicks] fans are demanding and let you know how they feel. But so are Kentucky fans.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari said Fox can be like former Wildcat point guard John Wall if he changes his mentality and uses his “speed as a weapon.”
“Everyone says [I’m like] John,” Fox said. “I see the speed, but the way he creates for his teammates, if I can get to that level of playmaking, I think I’ll be great. If I can surpass that, so be it.”