Frank Mason and De’Aaron Fox renewing blue blood clash as Kings teammates

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) drives against Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox (0) during the second half, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

It wasn’t too long ago that Frank Mason and De’Aaron Fox were battling each other in primetime as the college basketball world watched to see whose team would prevail in a blue blood battle between Kansas and Kentucky.

The two dynamic point guards will now get to resume that clash behind the scenes — potentially for years to come — as teammates with the Sacramento Kings.

For two players who only squared off once, the duo knows each other fairly well. Fox, the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, revealed during a recent interview with Sacramento media that Mason actually hosted the speedy floor general when he visited the University of Kansas as a high school recruit. Fox opted for a starring role at Kentucky, instead, and when he next saw Mason, the senior outdid the freshman, leading the Jayhawks to a 79-73 win at UK’s Rupp Arena.

Mason went for 21 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals, while shooting 9-for-18 in a game that featured two of college basketball’s fastest open-court players. On a 5-for-12 night, Fox’s line read: 10 points, two assists, two rebounds, two steals.

“We had a good battle in college. I
think it was a really good game. And
not only with De’Aaron, I’m looking
forward to getting out there and
competing against everyone,” Mason
said of renewing his matchup with Fox
at Kings practices, beginning this
week, as the two prepare for their
Summer League debuts. “As the point
guards of the team, we should always
want to compete at a high level and
make each other better for the
franchise, so that’s what we will do.”

Fox, too, told reporters he looked forward to having Mason as a teammate/challenger.

“It’s going to be different. We played
them one time this past year, and now
you’re going to see him every day in
practice,” Fox said of Mason. “But
that’s great for us. We’re going at
each other every day in practice and
it’s going to do nothing but make us
better.”