Rick Fox Recognized At Airport As Echo Fox Owner – Not As NBA Player

During E3, former NBA player Rick Fox was a guest on Mason and Ireland, a sports talk radio show based in Los Angeles. While he briefly opined about the Los Angeles Lakers and potential draft pick Lonzo Ball, Fox’s real purpose was discussing his involvement with Echo Fox, the eSports group that he leads with co-owner Jace Hall.

As a small forward who spent his entire career playing for the NBA’s two most illustrious franchises (the Lakers and Celtics), the 47-year-old Fox has discovered that his status in the gaming community is remarkably understated.

“I don’t go anywhere in airports with any Echo Fox gear on where people don’t walk up and first say, ‘Oh, Echo Fox, I know that’ — that may not even know me,” Fox said. “They know me as an Echo Fox owner, not as an NBA player.”

Fox appears to take some pride in that surprising anonymity. He isn’t revered the same way as some of his former teammates, but this has allowed Fox to transcend his identity as a basketball player. That’s not to minimize his legacy as a pro baller.

Some people forget that Fox was a three-time NBA champion who played a key role alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Derek Fisher. Fox doesn’t have a neat moniker like the “Zen Master” or “Big Shot Rob,” but his achievements on the court are nothing to scoff at.

Since he retired from the NBA in 2004, he’s dabbled in acting and business pursuits. With Echo Fox, he’s found a new calling.

While he’s no longer introduced over a booming PA system prior to games, Fox has adapted to his new status just fine. Today, he playfully teases his gamers for not knowing much about his basketball conquests, but in truth, Fox remains a good-natured role player. The only difference? Now, he’s also the team’s owner.