De'Aaron Fox wanted to clear the air about one rumor that spread in the wake of the Kings firing coach Mike Brown.
After Sacramento parted ways with Brown on Friday, rumors began to swirl regarding why the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year was fired.
One source of the rumors is former NBA guard Lou Williams, who claimed on the latest episode of FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" that he heard Brown's firing was the result of multiple behind-the-scenes developments.
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"From what I understand, it just ran its course very fast and surprisingly," Williams said. "... so I'm hearing that there was some pushback from how De'Aaron Fox was continuously being singled out, whether it was publicly or behind the scenes, or the players just didn't agree with that sentiment.
"I was even hearing whispers there was a situation where [Mike Brown] might have asked or even suggested that DeMar DeRozan come off the bench and those things proved to be severe missteps in an already challenging season where he put the front office in a position where they had to side with either the All-Star talent they have or to part ways with their former Coach of the Year who had a brand new three-year extension.
"And ultimately, they chose to go with the players and that made Mike Brown a casualty of that ... this is just a classic example of a coach losing a locker room and not being on the same page as his players and at the end of the day, the players were who management chose to side with."
Fox took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, where he refuted Williams' claim -- and other reports that have surfaced -- that his relationship with Brown had become strained prior to the coach's firing.
NBA
There was never any push back about anything. This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bullshit. So you can run with that if you want to. https://t.co/z5rBpWmail
— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) December 30, 2024
Fox did not address Williams' claim about Brown suggesting DeRozan come off the bench or that the coach "lost the locker room," but did clear up one of the rumors.
Williams then responded to Fox in a post on X.
I never said you went to management my brother. I spoke on what was already being reported and said. I ain’t created no narratives. That ain’t my place. Nothing more nothing less 🤷🏾♂️🤝🏾 https://t.co/nbBdGNnGQb
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) December 30, 2024
Fox's wife, Recee, previously took to X on Friday shortly after Brown's firing, where she downplayed the narrative that De'Aaron played a role in the organization's decision to part ways with its coach.
False
— Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) December 27, 2024
It's unclear exactly what, if anything, went on behind the scenes that led to Brown's firing, but Fox at least wants to set the record straight on one of the rumors.