De’Aaron Fox & Domantas Sabonis named to All-NBA Third Team

May 10, 2023, 4:07 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm

Editor & Kings Beat Writer

A story-book season for first-year teammates De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis has ended in grand fashion as the Sacramento Kings duo have been named to the All-NBA Third Team.

The All-Star duo are the first Kings to be named to an All-NBA Team since DeMarcus Cousins was named to the Second Team following the 2015-16 season.

This marks the first time since 1967-68 (Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas) that multiple Kings players have received All-NBA nods in the same season and the seventh time in franchise history.

The 2022-23 Kia All-NBA Third Team:

▪️ De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
▪️ LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
▪️ Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
▪️ Julius Randle, New York Knicks
▪️ Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings pic.twitter.com/HLhSlCzszN

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 10, 2023

Fox and Sabonis were selected to the Third Team along with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, and New York Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Sabonis had one of the best seasons from a center in the league’s lengthy history, averaging 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds (led the NBA), and 7.3 assists (career-high) while shooting 61 percent from the field.

Only one other player in NBA history has averaged 19-12-7 while shooting 60 percent or higher from the field: Wilt Chamberlain.

The star center led the league in rebounds per game, total rebounds, and double-doubles (65) while also ranking top-five in win shares (12.6, second), offensive win shares (9.6, second), and assists (573, fifth).

Only two-time MVP Nikola Jokic (29) had more triple-doubles than Sabonis this season, as the Kings center finished the year with 14.

Fox, the first-ever Clutch Player of the Year winner, ended the season as the NBA’s leader in clutch points (194), field goals made (72), field goal percentage (53%), paint points (88), and usage rate (43%).

Scoring in the fourth was seemingly effortless for Fox, who finished just four points shy of Kyrie Irving (551) for the most points scored in the fourth quarter this season.

Fox–who was also a first-time All-Star in 2022-23–finished the season with averages of 25.0 points, 4.2 rebounds (career-high), 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range.

The duo helped lead Sacramento to a playoff appearance for the first time since 2006 and the franchise’s first Pacific Division crown since 2003 in a season that helped put the Kings back on the NBA map.

Expectations were high at the beginning of the year as fans expected big things from the Fox-Sabonis one-two punch.

All-Stars. NBA Playoffs. Most wins since 2005. Pacific Division champions. Now, All-NBA nods.

I’d say that Fox and Sabonis delivered.

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