Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox is the only player of the 2017 draft class to receive a max extension without earning an All-Star selection or playoff appearance.
Fox signed a multi-year deal with the Kings after getting drafted fifth overall in 2017. After the 2019-20 season, he re-signed on a five-year, $163 million max contract extension.
Maybe the 6’3″ guard should have received at least one All-Star selection by now. In the 2020-21 season, Fox ranked 14th in points (1,461), 15th in points per game (25.2), ninth in assists per game (7.2) and 12th in steals per game (1.5).
Of the four members of the 2017 draft class to receive max extensions, only one has never been an All-Star or made the playoffs.
De’Aaron Fox.
This season is his best chance to change that, @mr_jasonjones writes.https://t.co/Ew5YBFjP09 pic.twitter.com/cYZfSKrLsY
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) August 25, 2022
Last season, Fox finished 14th in the NBA in points per game (23.2), 20th in assists per game (5.6) and 16th in made 2-point field goals (442).
Furthermore, the Kings have not made the playoffs since the 2005-06 season. They have gone 16 seasons without a playoff appearance, the longest postseason drought in NBA history.
De’Aaron Fox is the only 2017 draft class player to sign a max contract without a playoff appearance or All-Star selection
The three other NBA players of the 2017 draft class to receive a max extension include Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.
Of course, the Celtics selected Tatum third overall in 2017. Since then, the forward has received three All-Star selections and has made five playoff appearances.
On July 1, 2017, Tatum signed a multi-year contract extension with Boston. Following the 2019-20 season, the Duke product re-signed with the Celtics on a five-year, $195 million max extension.
Next, Mitchell was selected 13th overall by the Jazz in 2017. Through five seasons, the guard has received three All-Star selections. And Utah has made the playoffs five times with Mitchell.
Mitchell signed a multi-year contract with Utah on July 5, 2017. Three years later, he re-signed on a five-year, $195 million max contract extension with the organization. In the coming months, both Mitchell and De’Aaron Fox could be on different teams.
As for Adebayo, five years ago, the 6’9″ center was taken by the Heat at pick No. 14. So far, he earned his first and only All-Star selection in 2020. Plus, the Heat have qualified for the postseason four times with Adebayo.
Additionally, the center signed a multi-year deal with Miami after he was drafted in 2017. Then, Adebayo signed a five-year max contract extension worth at least $163 million in November 2020.
Out of the four players of the 2017 draft class to receive a max extension, only Tatum and Adebayo have played in the NBA Finals. Though, all four players remain ringless.
The Celtics lost in six games against the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Likewise, Adebayo and the Heat lost in six games versus LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Tatum is also the first player of his draft class to win a conference finals MVP award. Will De’Aaron Fox receive his first All-Star selection next season? It’s more likely than seeing the Kings make the playoffs.
