Mike Brown’s Criticism Of De’Aaron Fox Resurfaces After NBA Finals Game 4 Blunder

San Antonio Spurs star De’Aaron Fox made a huge blunder at the end of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, but that wasn’t the first time he made an incredibly stupid decision in a big moment in his career. In fact, Fox had a memorable one during his time under Knicks head coach Mike Brown when they were both with the Sacramento Kings.

With the Kings up 113-110 in the final seconds of a game against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 26, 2024, all the players had to do was guard their man at the three-point line. Fox inexplicably was well inside the three-point line and ended up fouling Pistons’ Jaden Ivey, who hit the three to make it a four-point play.

Brown was unsurprisingly critical of Fox after his error led to the Kings losing 114-113, and a clip from his press conference resurfaced after this latest blunder by the guard.

“If you’re up three, you gotta guard your man at the 3-point line,” Brown said. “And there should be no closeout opportunity, no closeout opportunity. We told them that. They know the only thing that can hurt us is a three. And I need to go back and watch the film to see exactly where Fox was, but there was no reason for there to be a hard closeout.

“We were okay with them scoring a two at the rim, so you should not be in position to help at all,” Brown stated. “You should be hugged up to your man at the three-point line. Everybody should. And why there was a closeout by Fox? I’m not sure. I gotta go back and watch the tape. But for sure 100% we told our guys, we can’t give up a 3, can’t give up a 3, can’t give up a 3.

“Stay connected, stay on the high side, stay on the high side,” Brown continued. “I even drew an example of if your guy’s on the floor, just hop on his high side. The only thing that can hurt us is a three. And we close out, and we foul with three seconds to go. That’s tough.”

2024: Mike Brown on braindead Fox play: “If you’re up 3, you gotta guard your man at the 3. I need to go back and watch Fox. Should NOT be in position to help. Should be hugged up to your man. 100% told guys, can’t give up a 3. Stay connected. I even drew an example.”

(Brown… pic.twitter.com/jrD5UcMq6p

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) June 11, 2026

Brown was indeed fired a day later, on Dec. 27. That loss had dropped the Kings to 13-18, and the front office felt change was necessary. So, they fired the coach who had ended their 16-year playoff drought in the 2022-23 season. To say it has proven to be a mistake would be an understatement.

The Knicks then hired Brown in July 2025, and he looks set to lead them to the title in his first season as they took a 3-1 lead with this Game 4 victory. The Kings, meanwhile, missed the playoffs in 2026 with a woeful 22-60 record. They’re going nowhere.

As for Fox, he was traded to the Spurs in February 2025. Acquiring a star point guard in his prime to help this young team wasn’t a bad move on the front office’s part, but the two-time All-Star made the blunder of all blunders in Game 4.

With the Spurs leading 106-105 with less than 20 seconds remaining, all Fox had to do was hold on to the ball. The shot clock had turned off, and the Knicks would have no choice but to foul him if he just held on.

Fox instead attempted a layup in transition and was blocked by OG Anunoby. The Knicks got the ball back down one, and Anunoby would win them the game by tipping in Jalen Brunson’s miss on the next possession.

After the game, Fox explained he thought he could outrun Anunoby. The 28-year-old said he wanted to score with that layup to force the Knicks into having to take a three on the next possession.

Fox could have done that by getting fouled and making two free throws, too, though. Charles Barkley went off on the guard after the game, and rightly so. You cannot make such a mistake in such a critical situation.

Fox made too many terrible plays after halftime and was a big reason why the Spurs blew a 29-point lead and lost 107-106. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, and you wonder if it’s possible to recover from a collapse like that.

Game 5 will tip off at Frost Bank Center on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Fox, who had 18 points (6-16 FG), five rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one block in Game 4, would be keen to make amends, and it will be interesting to see if he is able to bounce back.