De’Aaron Fox stood in the visitor locker room at Paycom Center on Saturday night reflecting on a moment he had chased for years. The San Antonio Spurs had just beaten the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
For Fox, the win represented more than a postseason milestone. It marked the culmination of a journey from Sacramento to San Antonio and validation for a roster many questioned entering the season.
“It feels great,” Fox said after the victory. “Especially doing it with this group of guys with just how young and how talented they are to be able to be this resilient.”
The Spurs eliminated an Oklahoma City team that entered the playoffs as the West’s No. 1 seed after a 64-win season and had reached the conference finals in consecutive years. San Antonio also defeated Minnesota in six games during the previous round before winning a road Game 7 against the defending champions.
“Being able to do it against those types of teams I think prepares you for whatever you’re going to see at the end,” Fox said. “And it’s definitely great.”
Fox finished Game 7 with 15 points, five assists and three steals while playing through a lingering foot injury. He acknowledged afterward that his shot-making was inconsistent during the series but pointed to his overall impact.
“A lot of times you’re like, yeah,” Fox said of playing through injuries in the playoffs. “But when I was playing, obviously, I wasn’t making shots and I always say that is what it is.”
“I just wanted to be able to affect the game in different ways and I think I did that and we won this series.”
Fox said belief inside the locker room grew steadily as the season progressed, especially after San Antonio continued to improve despite piling up wins during a 62-20 regular season.
“By the time we got to I would even say like all-star break, I was like, it could be real,” Fox said. “Like, we can definitely have a chance this year.”
That belief now carries into a Finals matchup against the New York Knicks, beginning Wednesday in San Antonio. When asked what he pictures when imagining the NBA Finals, Fox delivered a direct answer.
“I picture us holding the trophy at the end,” he said. “Just the blood, sweat, the tears, the travel, everything that we go through throughout the course of the regular season.”
Fox repeatedly emphasized the roster’s selflessness and growth, crediting teammates and coaches for helping a young group mature under postseason pressure.
“We have the talent,” Fox said. “That’s kind of where it starts.”
“And then second, we have guys who are willing to listen.”
Fox also praised Victor Wembanyama’s development, saying the 22-year-old’s leadership became one of the Spurs’ defining strengths during the playoff run.
“The talent will never be deniable,” Fox said. “He can literally do anything that you could possibly ask for on a basketball court.”
“But the way that he’s led throughout the course of this year… I think that’s where most of his growth has come.”
Late in the press conference, Fox offered a message to Spurs supporters preparing for the franchise’s first Finals appearance in 12 years.
“One of the most loyal fan bases that you’ll probably ever be around in any sport,” Fox said. “We’re trying to bring another championship back to San Antonio.”
He also delivered the mindset that carried San Antonio through a playoff bracket filled with experienced opponents.
“We have talent, we have dogs,” Fox said. “At the end of the day, you got to roll the ball out there, and you got to beat us four times.”
