De’Aaron Fox was named the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season

De’Aaron Fox led all NBA players in clutch scoring and helped the Kings reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

The match was a draw in Orlando on November 5th. DeAaron Fox got the ball with about five seconds left, took four dribbles and let a shot fly just inside midcourt as time expired.

Swish for victory.

A clutch moment, one of many for the Sacramento guard this season. Fox was announced Tuesday night as the inaugural winner of the NBA’s clutch player of the year award, selected by 100 franchise writers and broadcasters.

Miami’s Jimmy Butler was second and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan was third.

You can’t be afraid of failure, Fox said on the TNT broadcast. Obviously, you’re not going to make every shot, but my teammates, my coaches, let me make it. So the least I can do is trust myself and take good shots.

Fox became the Sacramentos’ first major award winner since Tyreke Evans edged out Stephen Curry for the 2010 Rookie of the Year. The Kings certainly won’t be waiting 13 years for their next award, it’s likely to be more than 24 hours with Mike Brown. is expected to be announced as coach of the year when the NBA reveals the results on Wednesday.

The vote was runaway; Fox, who led the league with 194 clutch points, received 91 of a possible 100 first-place votes and 460 of a possible 500 points. Butler received one first-place vote and 104 points, while DeRozan finished with 80 points, just three ahead of fourth-place Jalen Brunson of New York.

Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox has earned the Jerry West Trophy as the 2022-23 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year.

Complete voting results and award history:https://t.co/48al01PN3n pic.twitter.com/blRRodHL9w

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 18, 2023

DeRozan was second in the NBA with 159 clutch points this season, and Butler was third with 151.

Fox led the league in clutch scoring this season with 194 points in 39 such games; clutch games are defined as teams separated by five points or less at any point in the finals at 5:00 p.m. He actually shot better from the field during those moments (53%) than at any other time (51%).

He becomes the first recipient of the Jerry West Award; it was named after a player who earned the moniker Mr. Clutch during his career. The NBA announced in December that it would add a clutch award; Like most other awards, it is voted on by a media panel, but unlike other awards, the field of nominees is first narrowed down by a vote of NBA coaches.

Fox was one of several significant contributors to Sacramento’s resurgence this season.

The Kings, who currently lead defending champion Golden State 2-0 in their Western Conference first-round series, reached the postseason for the first time in 17 years. Fox has averaged a team-best 31 points in those two playoff games. And 48-34, this was the Sacramentos’ best regular season since 50-32 in 2004-2005.

“My teammates and my team set me up to be successful,” Fox said.

The award was the second individual award announced by the league this season.

Memphis Jaren Jackson Jr. was announced as the Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. The Coach of the Year (Brown, Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault or Boston’s Joe Mazzulla) will be announced on Wednesday, and the Sixth Man of the Year (Boston’s Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis Jr. or New York’s Immanuel Quickley) will be revealed on Thursday.

No other schedule has been announced for the announcement of other league awards, including MVP, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year.