De’Aaron Fox of the San Antonio Spurs appears to still be dealing with an ankle injury he picked up in the team’s previous series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that looks to be hampering his performance in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fox scored just nine points on 26.7% shooting in the Spurs’ Game 5 loss, and in the series against the Thunder as a whole, the starting point guard hasn’t looked like himself.
Fox missed the first two games of the series with the ankle injury, but while he hasn’t missed a contest since, according to some NBA insiders, he is still dealing with the issue, and that could be a major concern for the Spurs as they now face elimination, down 3-2 to the Thunder.
De’Aaron Fox Injury News Isn’t Good For The Spurs
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 01: De’aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
In three games against Oklahoma City in the conference finals, Fox is averaging 12 points, seven rebounds, and 6.3 assists on 38.1% shooting. He remains one of the biggest keys to the Spurs’ success, but so far, as he continues to deal with that ankle injury, he hasn’t been as impactful as he was during the regular season or earlier in the playoffs.
Speaking on The Hoop Collective Podcast, Brian Windhorst of ESPN thinks it is clear Fox’s injury is changing the way he’s playing.
“Look, I know De’Aaron Fox is playing on a high ankle sprain that normally, in the regular season, he’s probably sitting (with),” he said. “He goes four of 15 (in Game 5).”
Fox was the number two option for the Spurs in the regular season, but with his ankle injury, he doesn’t look like the same player who averaged 18.6 points during the year and a similar scoring number through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
According to Bill Simmons, speaking on his podcast, the Fox injury is clearly impacting his play and what the Spurs can do on the offensive side of the ball.
“Fox was bad. I think Fox is hurt. I don’t feel like he had any lift.” Simmons said. “They need him. He’s the only guy who can take care of the ball.
In his appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Tim Legler of ESPN agreed that Fox is playing injured, and that is evident in how he looks on the court.
“He has that next level quickness, and against a team like the Thunder, you really need that,” Legler said. “It doesn’t quite seem like he’s got all of that, and it is what it is. He’s gonna play through it, but 33 minutes, 4/15 (shooting), that’s not really typical for De’Aaron Fox…I agree with you, I don’t think he’s right.”
Fox has not been listed on the Spurs’ injury report over the past few games, but with how he looks on the floor and his statistical drop, it looks like his ankle issue is impacting his output in the conference finals for San Antonio.
De’Aaron Fox Has Addressed His Injury
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Fox missed Games 1 and 2 for the Spurs against the Thunder, and though he has suited up in each matchup since, back in the starting lineup over Dylan Harper, he isn’t having the same level of impact against the defending champions.
In the series, Fox is fourth on the Spurs in scoring. After Game 3, the point guard acknowledged his injury, but in the time since, that hasn’t changed his output, which right now is desperately needed for San Antonio.
He cited a Lu Dort bump on him as a reason he isn’t playing at his peak form, but also mentioned how, overall, he isn’t at 100%.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely tough. I feel like (the Dort dive) was a play that could have been avoidable, but it is what it is,” Fox said to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “Obviously, it is disappointing not being able to be 100 percent. But like I said, I’m able to be out there, so that’s all that matters to me right now.”
Fox offered a similar quote to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
“I don’t feel great, but I’m able to play,” Fox said.
With the Spurs now facing elimination heading back to San Antonio for Game 5, regardless of Fox’s injury status, they’ll need a strong performance from him to keep their season alive. He hasn’t looked the same since going down with the ankle injury, but his experience is much-needed as the Spurs could go home on Thursday night.
NBA Insiders Deliver Concerning De’Aaron Fox Injury News For Spurs