Spurs Star De’Aaron Fox Set For Season Debut

De’Aaron Fox will finally take the floor for the San Antonio Spurs after working through an offseason hamstring issue.

San Antonio Spurs games are about to get a lot more Foxy.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the accomplished point guard is set to make his 2025-26 season debut over the weekend, as his Spurs host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Fox missed this year’s tip-off while dealing with an offseason hamstring injury.

Fox is set to engage in his first full season with the Spurs after coming over from the Sacramento Kings in a trade deadline deal last winter. A finger injury limited Fox to but 17 appearances during his San Antonio debut, which saw him average 19.7 points and 6.8 assists. The Spurs still granted him long-term employment to the tune of a four-year contract extension worth as much as $229 million.

San Antonio gave up a hefty price to obtain Fox’s services, parting ways with Zach LaVine and four first-round picks in a three-team trade that also involved the Chicago Bulls. The plan was to provide experienced veteran production next to franchise face Victor Wembanyama, but their respective injuries limited their collaboration to but five occasions.

“Who do you stop between those two?” another homegrown talent, Devin Vassell, rhetorically asked last winter upon Fox’ arrival in February, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “I think we’re going to play a lot faster and we’re going to be out in transition a lot. I think it’s just going to open up a lot with Fox being our point guard. Him and Wemby on the screen-and-roll? Then you have me and [Julian] Champagnie and certain shooters around. It’s going to be an exciting offense, and I think defensively we’re going to be able to get after people, too. I know Fox likes to pick up full court and kind of change the pace of the game. He’s going to help us on both ends.”

San Antonio’s playoff case collapsed in 2024-25 after the long-term injuries of Fox and Wembanyama but things have gotten off to a much better start this time around.

The Spurs (5-2) have been star-crossed by injuries, as building blocks like Dylan Harper, Luke Kornet, and Jeremy Sochan have all had to miss time due to early ailments. That didn’t stop San Antonio from winning each of its first five games before dropping consecutive contests to the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs engage in NBA Cup group play on Friday night against the Houston Rockets (6:30 p.m. CT, Prime Video).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags