Former Kentucky star De’Aaron Fox will be the first to tell you he loved his time in Lexington and playing for John Calipari. Averaging 16.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest, the 6-foot-3 guard quickly established himself as one of the best players in college basketball during the 2016-17 season, solidifying his status as a top-five pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
In particular, he loved the freedom he had under Calipari to run the show and play in a system that closely resembles the NBA. It prepared him for the league and allowed him to develop into one of the top up-and-coming guards in the NBA, signing a five-year, $163 million maximum extension with the Sacramento Kings back in November.