Pelicans’ Draft Could Signal Major Changes in Near Future

The New Orleans Pelicans had one of the more intriguing drafts in recent memory just a week ago.

They came into the night owning just one first round pick at No. 7, eventually taking Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears with that selection. In a now-infamous move, they then traded up from No. 22 to No. 13, taking Maryland big Derik Queen.

Both Fears and Queen were thought of to be some of the top prospects in the class, albeit ones that will need major development to reach their potential. 

Fears — one of the youngest players in the draft class — is a 6-foot-4 true point guard capable of filling it up and play-making at a high rate. Across his season with the Sooners he averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and assists apiece, shooting 43% overall and just 28% from beyond the arc.

Fears needs to iron out his scoring game in general, getting more effective all over, but especially from three. But should he come around in the major areas — likely, given his age and feel for the game — he could be a star-level point guard.

Queen was similarly thought of coming into draft night, needing a team to gamble on his immensely high upside in the front court. He’s slightly undersized for a five at 6-foot-10, without premier athleticism, but has one of the better skill-based games for a big we’ve seen.

In leading Maryland to a few tournament wins, Queen averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals and blocks apiece while shooting 53% overall.

The 20-year-old offers an interesting fit in the front court, but with time could blossom into a star-level talent as well.

All in all, the Pelicans pushed some of their chips in at the 2025 draft. And the prospects they gambled on specifically could point to the fact they’ll take their time in developing them over the next handful of seasons.

With that in mind, New Orleans could be a team looked at as a seller in the coming months.