1-on-1 with 49ers S Talanoa Hufanga: His connection to De’Aaron Fox & the Sacramento Kings

San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga’s connection to the Sacramento Kings all started with a Dec. 27th courtside appearance. Huf rang the cowbell, and sit alongside owner Vivek Randadive and Vlade Divac while watching close friend De’Aaron Fox ball out on the court.

But the connection between the two stems further than that.

Huf’s connection to Fox started with his wife, Reece Caldwell’s sister, Desiree Caldwell. The pair first met back in college at the University of Southern California. Both aspiring athletes in their second year of school, the two hit it off quickly, one plays basketball, and the other plays football.

Now years removed from the first meeting, family ties have blossomed in Northern California. De’Aaron plays for the Kings, while Talanoa plays for the 49ers. The proximity of the two has worked out immensely for the families, able to learn and grow from one another’s respective sports.

On the cusp of his Pro Bowl appearance, and another playoff run, Huf is grateful for those that have helped him along the way, and for those that continue to inspire greatness in his life.

Below you will find Sactown Sports’ interview with 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga, a recent co-recipient of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame’s Pro Player of the Year.

Following last night's 10th straight win, I had to catch up with Talanoa Hufanga, donning De'Aaron Fox's jersey in the 49ers locker room, to talk about his "family ties" to the Kings star, as well him attending a game recently in Sacramento. @TalanoaHufanga @swipathefox pic.twitter.com/wiYURour3m

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 9, 2023

The Sacramento Connection

Question: When did you first meet the Caldwells and De’Aaron [Fox]?

Huf: Well me and [Desiree Caldwell], that’s my lady. We met in college going into my second year. She played basketball, I played football. So it was just kind of one of those ‘Love and Basketball’ things at USC. So, ended up meeting them, they have a great family. And then obviously, her sister was dating De’Aaron at the time.That’s that connection started.

Q: Do you see it as a full circle moment that you ended up here in northern California with De’Aaron being so close by in Sacramento?

H: It’s wild like we honestly did not know what to expect with me getting drafted, could have been anywhere in the country. It could have been [on the] east coast. It could have been in the Northwest, Seattle, close to where I’m from. But this was just a blessing in disguise and having everybody all so close right here. I guess you could say it was meant to be but it was pretty cool experience for sure.

Q: What’s it like being the only football player in a basketball-oriented family? Do you see similarities from basketball to football?

H: Oh, yeah, I definitely ask some questions. I’m adjusting into a longer season for football. But coming from a guy that plays 80 games in a season and that’s even longer. So you know, how do you mentally prepare for those things? But honestly, there’s no competition, whether it’s like basketball versus football, we’re just family at that point.

Q: What did you make of Golden One Center experience and sitting courtside with the owner Vivek Ranadive and Vlade Divac?

H: Oh, it was crazy. It was actually dope. First off that was my first game ever sitting courtside, so that was an experience…To sit next to guys that I could just network with, and guys that have so much respect in the business world, So just got to enjoy it.

Hufanga sitting courtside with Vivek and Vlade 👀 pic.twitter.com/ieSJp71f0Q

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 28, 2022

Q: How do you feel about the vibe around Sacramento when you were there? How do you see the city changing?

.@TalanoaHufanga rings the cowbell to get G1C pumped up pic.twitter.com/EHUTeif2lO

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) December 28, 2022

H: I think guys are just trying to change the culture around there. Within the basketball program, you can see it taking off, I think they’re in the mix right now to be in the playoffs. I don’t know when the last time they were in the playoffs. They’re starting to do better [though], De”Aaron is playing at an all-star level and hopefully he gets nominated for that.

Q: What’s it been like to watch his growth over the years, from a rookie in 2017, to now, potentially, his first All Star appearance?

H: Me and my friends, we knew who De’Aaron was when he was in high school. Just followed his game because we were basketball fans too. And watching him just do his thing, get drafted and come in here and be the face of that franchise has been amazing. So he has all my support. Obviously, he’s family so it’s just like to continue to do greatness and everything.

The Media Man

Q: Do you see similarities with the small-town vibe of Sacramento compared to where you grew up in Corvallis [Oregon]?

H: It’s small but it ain’t small like my place. You got to understand, the highest building in my town seems like four or five stories. Where I’m from is maybe like 40-50,000 people, or like 60,000…I would say Sacramento, Sac is big city to me.

Q: What was it like coming to the Bay Area and USC? Was that hard to adjust to for you?

H: Oh no. That’s why I left Oregon. Yeah, I want it to be ducked off. I wanted to focus on getting my degree and I finished my degree in three years, and I wanted to get out and play football and just be myself. Being in Oregon, everybody knows who you are. So you’re going to this place and everybody’s saying hi, you’re going to this place everybody’s saying hi.

So my goal was to go to a big place where I could just keep my head down and just continue to work and nobody really bugged me. That’s why I was able to graduate early. I was able to do what I wanted to do in football.

Q: What did you get your degree in?

H: Communications

Q: What would you want to pursue after football?

H: While I was kind of thinking about the media, so we’ll see. I’d love to do real estate and do those things. I’ve never know [exactly what I’d do], whether I’m going to go into coaching, real estate. But sometimes I thought about being in front of the camera or behind the camera.

Q: Donte Whitner is a former 49ers safety now in media, have you talked to him about the media?

H: I have not, obviously he’s a great guy was a great player as well. For me, those are the kind of things that I’m like interested in. But at the end of day, I just want to raise my family too. So whenever I get the opportunity I will.

The 49ers Pro Bowler

Q: Switching gears to another safety that you grew up idolizing: Troy Polamalu. A USC legend, grew up in Oregon. What was that connection like for you? And do you see yourself modeling the game after him in different aspects?

H: Definitely. I think you want to take different bits and pieces from everybody’s game and obviously, when you watch Troy, cut up the tape, He’s everywhere. And I’m like, ‘How can I put that into my game and how can I use my strengths and put it on display like he did’. And so those are things that I’ve talked with him about, learned and discussed, and he’s just a great guy. And a lot of what I learned [from] him is off-the-field, and that’s what I really respect about him and the character that you build. It goes a lot farther than the character on the game.

Q: What’s a life lesson you can think of right now?

H: Being obedient, being present, never let life get too far looking into the future and never dwell on the past. Every day you have to be present in that moment in that hour and everything, so I say that’s his biggest message. And I’ve heard him preach to other people to just being obedient to the process.

Q: Switching to your play this year, your first time making the Pro Bowl in the first year as a starter in the NFL How does that sound to you?

H: I’m very grateful. I can never say I did what myself. I give the glory to God and I had a lot of people helping me, behind me. It wasn’t me just showing up here doing this, not by myself…So very blessed for sure.

Q: We were talking about the Tashaun [Gipson Sr.] after the game on Sunday about you. He said, even though you’re 10 years younger than him, he’s learned a lot from you this year and had the most fun of his career.  What does it mean to hear that from an NFL veteran like Tashaun and how have you learned from him and vice versa?

H: Man, that’s my dog. Like first and foremost, like just the relationship we built off the field has definitely helped it on the field. He came in here with the humble mindset and I think that’s when you got two guys that are willing to just work with each other and want the best out of each other. It’s not a competition.  A lot of guys are like, ‘No, I want this man’. He was the most humble dude I’ve ever met that came into the building and was like, ‘What are your goals?’ And nobody really talks to me like that. I mean, everybody sees it as like ‘I got to start in front of this guy or I want more picks than you’, nah. ‘Gip’ is the ultimate team dude, a great guy.

Q: Do you think that USC mentality of team-first is also a big part of the Niners facility, a typically team-first organization?  Is that kind of why you think there’s no real competition in the secondary?

H: I’d agree with that. When you walk in there and you see on the board, it’s just being humble. You know, first and foremost, you want to swarm and as a collective unit, you don’t want to be the weak link. If everybody’s running to the ball, as a defense, and one guy is not running, you’re gonna notice. That’s the work ethic that everybody has to show up and do their best. So it gets competitive at times too. But at the end of the day, we all want to win, if everybody wants to win, then you’re probably going to win. So just very blessed to have great guys around me like that.

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