EMIRATES NBA CUP

December 13, 2025

De'Aaron Fox

San Antonio Spurs

Semifinal Postgame

San Antonio Spurs 111, Oklahoma City Thunder 109

Q. De'Aaron, when was the last time you played in a game that had -- non-playoff game that had that much emotion, that much feel to it?

DE'AARON FOX: I mean, I played in the Quarterfinals two years ago and that one kind of felt a little bit like that. But none, none. None that's like postseason, nothing feels like that. I think that's why I like the In-Season Tournament, I think it's great.

Q. Curious, obviously we're in a results-based league with wins and losses, but what do you, as one of the best on this team, how do you kind of teach guys about the process, beyond just the wins and losses, the process of doing things the right way day-in and day-out and building towards the ultimate goal?

DE'AARON FOX: That's what we preach. Obviously, it's great to learn in the process while winning, it's always better to go through it like that than to have to have growing pains. But we always go into every game, no matter who we're playing against, best team in the league, worst team in the league, whatever it may be, and we worry about ourselves first. Because we know if we go out there and we execute to the point that we know we can execute that, we give ourselves a chance to win regardless of who we're playing against.

I think we showed it tonight. This team hit us in the mouth first. We were able to respond, and they responded, and we were able to close the game out. So I think that was what we call a mature win. But it's much better to win games like this and learn in the process.

Q. The habits that this team built in the 12 games that Wemby was gone, how important is that going to be to push this whole group forward now that you guys have everyone on the same page healthy and able to move forward in the Western Conference Finals?

DE'AARON FOX: This our first game playing with everybody. Obviously, I missed time and then Dylan missed time and Steph and Vic missed time. I think getting used to playing without a star like that, it makes your team better in the long run because when he comes back he makes the game easier for everybody, both offensively and defensively. We want him to continue to be himself when he comes back, but knowing that obviously the team not necessarily has a rhythm, but playing a brand of basketball that we preach in the pre-season and on. And we've done it when I was out, we've done it with Vic out, we've done it with Steph and Dylan out, and we're just pushing this train forward regardless of who we're throwing out there. But when the talent is sky high and you're continuing to play the right way, then the sky's the limit for us.

Q. Speaking of wanting him to be who he is, after one of his flexes or celebrations or whatever, I think I saw you laughing. Did you get a kick out of how into it he was and the emotion that he showed in this game?

DE'AARON FOX: Absolutely. He's been itching to play. He's been itching to play. Then coming back to a game like this, in a game of this magnitude, against a team like that, I think that's probably the toughest first game that you can have of any one in this league. But he rose to the occasion and I don't think anybody in the locker room or probably out here, like I don't think anyone thought that he wouldn't. He was out there, he did what he does, he affected the game from the moment that he stepped on the floor, both offensively and defensively we felt that and that's ultimately the reason why we came out on top tonight.

Q. You had 19 through three quarters with Wemby playing sparingly. Did you feel you had to carry a heavier a heavy load at the start and just kind of keep things at bay until Wemby played more in the fourth?

DE'AARON FOX: That I had 19? I mean, I only had two points in the first quarter, so I don't know. I mean --

Q. I mean second and third.

DE'AARON FOX: I think, like we all know I can go on pretty crazy runs, 20-0 runs by myself. But we have a team that's able to weather runs from other teams, and I think that's why we're in the position that we're in. We got down I think 18 maybe, 16 or 18, in the first half, and we were able to respond bringing it to three at halftime. And once we did that we were like, okay, we're putting ourselves in position to be able to grind this game out.

For me, I mean continuing to pick my spots, playing with guys, playing with all these guys Dylan, Steph, Vic, it makes the game easier for me as well. This is the most efficient year that I've had in my career. And it's not like I just got better overnight, they make the game so much easier for me. Obviously, there are times where I do have to create a shot for myself, and we all know that I'm fully capable of doing that, but being able to play off them the game comes a little easier for that.

Q. That opens up my question, everyone talks about what Victor can do in terms of changing the geometry for a guard, but particularly for your speed, having the likes of Stephon and a Dylan Harper, alongside you as you're going up the floor, what does that do for your game and how much easier it is to be able to finish and make decisions?

DE'AARON FOX: For me, we talk about playing fast but not being in a hurry. If I ever get the ball from out of bounds and one of those two guys are ahead of me, yeah I'm fast, but if I can throw the ball ahead, 99 percent of time I'm going to throw the ball ahead. And knowing that now they catch the ball and it's maybe two, maybe three guys in front of them instead of all five or I see 10 eyes, instead of 10 eyes being in front of them, that makes the game easier for myself and for them. Because now they're touching the paint, now we're getting kick-out threes, or they're getting layups, dunks, lobs, it just opens the entire game up.