“No OGs in There?”: De’Aaron Fox’s Kentucky All-Time Starting 5 Leaves Lou Williams and Chandler Parsons Baffled

The University of Kentucky is a factory that recruits and produces elite basketball talent. During John Calipari’s tenure as head coach, several players transitioned from promising youngsters to NBA stars. Kings guard, De’Aaron Fox is among them. He spent a season with the program, which was critical for his development as a player. He followed in the footsteps of the titans that preceded him, including Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams. However, neither found a spot on his all-time Kentucky starting five.

On FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, the hosts asked Fox to name his all-time starting five. He picked himself, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, and Malik Monk. After being looked over, Williams quipped,

“You got all the young guys, no OGs in there?”

Fox responded he was only picking players from the Calipari era. “There’s a lot of guys to go,” the guard said. “I’m going to go the Cal era because you could go with Jodie Meeks and those guys, Jamal Mashburn.”

Fox’s decision to stick with recent players was to avoid a potential debate with Parsons and Williams who are more familiar with the talented players of past Kentucky teams. Regardless, being left out did not sit well with the two hosts.

Parsons teased Williams afterward, saying, “That’s how you know we’re getting old Lou. Like damn, no Jamal Mashburn?” The trio shared a light-hearted laugh about the interaction.

The team that Fox picked is a powerhouse. It has four All-Stars, with Malik Monk being the sole exception. It’d be logical to assume that the star guard only picked him because they are teammates and friends.

However, Fox insisted that didn’t play a role in his decision to put Monk in the team.

Monk and Fox’s dynamic duo carried onto the NBA

During their sole season at Kentucky, Fox and Monk were one of the most dynamic backcourts in the nation. However, their careers followed different trajectories. Fox developed into a star and a cornerstone for the Kings.

On the contrary, Monk received inconsistent minutes throughout his first four seasons. However, the 6-foot-3 shooting guard signed with the Kings ahead of the 2022-23 season. It took no time for the two to pick up where they left off in college.

Sacramento holds a point differential of +6.8 with Monk and Fox on the court. Additionally, one of the Kings’ best lineups features the dynamic backcourt alongside DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. In 218 minutes this season, that lineup boasts a net rating of +22.9

Monk recently earned a promotion to the starting lineup and has taken his chances well. This may result in more high-octane performances alongside Fox reminiscent of their Kentucky days.