De’Aaron Fox Stuns in Season Debut, Spurs Ignite with Unexpected 24-Point Surge After Injury Comeback

De’Aaron Fox’s return to the court injected a fresh surge of energy into the San Antonio Spurs, captivating fans with a performance that hinted at the heights this team could reach in the 2025-26 season. Coming off a nagging hamstring injury, Fox didn’t just show up—he took command, racking up 24 points and steering the Spurs to a hard-fought 126-119 victory against the Pelicans. It was a vivid reminder of what an All-Star caliber guard can bring, with his sharp shooting and playmaking sparking the offense and setting the tone for his teammates. Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle chipped in impressively, underscoring the depth and versatility that give the Spurs a real shot at evolving into a formidable squad. Of course, with rookie Dylan Harper sidelined for now, the team’s ballhandling depth is being tested, but it feels like a promising puzzle—one that Fox, Wembanyama, and the rest can piece together as the season unfolds. With the Bulls looming on the horizon, this Spurs squad has all the makings of a thrilling storyline—one that’s well worth keeping an eye on. LEARN MORE

The best version of the 2025-26 San Antonio Spurs includes De’Aaron Fox making things happen on offense. He looked the part in his season debut on Saturday.

The All-Star guard led the Spurs with 24 points in his return from an offseason hamstring injury, keying a 126-119 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He shot 9-of-14 from the field (2-of-5 from 3-point range) with three rebounds and three assists.

He got 15 of his points in the second quarter, with his first bucket coming on a stepback 3-pointer.

Eight different Spurs players scored in double digits during the game, with Victor Wembanyama posting 18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks and Stephon Castle having 14 points and 14 assists. That was enough to cancel out a 41-point night from Trey Murphy III.

Fox arrives just after rookie guard Dylan Harper was ruled out for multiple weeks with a calf strain. There have been questions all offseason about how the Spurs will juggle ballhandling duties among Fox, Castle and Harper, but for now they can simply make sure one of them is on the floor at all times, though it looked like Castle was still the floor general when Fox was in play.

It will be a good problem to have when Harper returns, but for now Fox and Wembanyama can start building the chemistry that was lost when the big man was ruled out for the rest of the 2024-25 season after Fox came over at the trade deadline.

Their next challenge will be a road game against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.