San Antonio Spurs star De’Aaron Fox became the focal point after his team’s historic Game 4 collapse against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. With San Antonio leading 106-105 with 12 seconds remaining, Fox inexplicably attempted a fast-break layup that was blocked by Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
The late-game blunder proved costly, as Anunoby converted a game-winning tip-in on the ensuing possession, handing the Spurs a devastating 107-106 road loss. A day later, Fox’s former college coach weighed in, revealing his advice for the two-time All-Star.
John Calipari Shares Guidance to De’Aaron Fox After Game 4 Mishap
During an appearance on SportsCenter on Thursday, Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari, who coached Fox during his lone college basketball season with the Kentucky Wildcats (2016-17), shed light on his counsel for his former player after San Antonio’s 29-point collapse.
“Next. Next. Amnesia. Go win the next three, kid,” Calipari said. “He came up to me, saw I was on the baseline, he came up and gave me a hug, and I said, ‘Go, do your thing.’ How about this, he’s still hurt. He’s got a high ankle sprain, that ain’t in the equation.
“I’ll tell my team, ‘I want you to have the vision and the mindset that we won that game. Let’s all say, what would be our mindset if we won that game? Well, guess what? We just won that game, now let’s go and play the next game.'”
Arkansas coach @CoachCalArk joins @BCusterTV on SportsCenter to discuss the Knicks winning Game 4, sitting next to Adam Sandler and his advice to De’Aaron Fox ✍️ pic.twitter.com/BE5rBs6cfh
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 11, 2026
Fox joined Calipari’s Wildcats as a five-star recruit and the No. 6-ranked prospect in the country in the class of 2016. He went on to earn First-team All-SEC honors and won the SEC Tournament MVP, leading the Wildcats to the SEC Tournament title and the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft.
Fox’s last-second gaffe in Game 4 capped off the Spurs’ offensive meltdown in the second half, which allowed the Knicks to complete the biggest comeback in Finals history. The Spurs led by 27 points at halftime and held a 29-point advantage early in the third quarter, but mustered only 30 points over the final 24 minutes.
Fox contributed 5 points on 2-for-8 shooting and committed 4 turnovers during the Spurs’ lackadaisical second-half performance. The veteran guard later defended his questionable decision-making during the game’s defining moment.
“I tried to get a layup, get up 3, force them to need a 3, and OG made a good block,” Fox said postgame. “I just thought I would be able to outrun him.”
The series now shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday. The Spurs trail the Knicks 3-1 and are on the brink of elimination, with Fox’s controversial late-game misstep emerging as a turning point in the series.
