Which Pelicans Rookie Will Have The Bigger Impact Next Season?

Among those new faces joining the team are rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. The Pelicans selected Fears seventh overall, and traded up with the Atlanta Hawks to draft Queen with the 13th overall pick, parting ways with their unprotected first-rounder in 2026 as a result. Therefore, a lot is riding on these two rookies to be contributors.

Both offensive-minded players, they'll have to battle against some veterans on this roster to earn their minutes and eventually a spot in the starting lineup. Taking into account both of their situations, which one of these rookies will have a bigger impact on the team in the 2025-26 season?

The Case For Jeremiah Fears

Fears surprised many draft analysts during the last college basketball season, as the Top-75 recruit finished seventh in the SEC in scoring, arguably the toughest conference in college basketball last year. A score-first guard, the downside was that Fears wasn't exactly efficient with the Sooners, shooting just 28.4% from beyond the arc.

However, looking at his situation on the Pelicans, his pathway to minutes will be going up against Jordan Poole and eventually Dejounte Murray when he returns. Poole is more of a combo guard than Fears is, so unlocking his playmaking ability should improve his chances of seeing the court early and often.

But Fears' playmaking showcase during the NBA 2K26 Summer League was subpar, averaging just 2.6 assists with five turnovers per game.

The Case For Derik Queen

While there's been some suggestion that Queen's position in the NBA could be at power forward, his lack of defensive abilities means the center position might be where he'll be at first. Looking at New Orleans' center depth, his main competition will be 2024 All-Rookie performer Yves Missi and Golden State Warriors champion Kevon Looney.

Given that each player brings a unique skillset to the position, it looks as though it could be anyone's starting spot heading into training camp. Queen's performance at the Summer League was better than Fears', but he also struggled with turning the ball over, logging 5.7 per game in three appearances.

But Queen supplemented that with 14.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, showcasing the offensive talent he was drafted to be.

The Verdict

Therefore, given the outlook for both players and how the roster looks, Queen might be heading into his rookie season with a higher chance at making an impact than Fears, mainly due to the competition around him. Queen's pathway to minutes seems far more feasible than Fears, who will go up against several veterans to earn quality minutes.

However, a new regime in New Orleans means drastic changes could be coming, especially with Willie Green likely entering the season on the hot seat.