With back-to-school officially starting for everyone, the hype for the return of the NBA is at an all-time high. With that, I think it's the perfect time to come up with expectations for the New Orleans Pelicans' entire roster. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be writing an article for each player on the roster and what I view as a successful individual season for them.
Starting with the rookies and specifically Jeremiah Fears. When the Pelicans took Fears 7th overall during the 2025 NBA draft, I was floored. New Orleans, a couple of days prior, traded for Jordan Poole, and it felt like there was an obvious hole at the five. But Joe Dumars saw something in the 18-year-old Oklahoma product and decided to take a swing on him.
During his time in Vegas playing for the Pelicans Summer League team, we did see that Fears is extremely raw and will have to continue to work on shooting and decision-making. However, what we did see is that his explosiveness, athleticism, and swagger all made the trip from Oklahoma to New Orleans with him.
Coming into his rookie year, the hype for Fears is high, and I'm excited to see what he can do.
Make an All-Rookie team or average less than two turnovers a game
Although making an All-Rookie team may sound like I'm selling Fears short, it's not. He is in a position where, when the team is healthy, he'll have three really good players ahead of him, making minutes something that could be hard to come by. Unless Fears proves to Willie Green that he's ready from day one, it may be hard to earn trust over guys like Murray, Alvarado, and Poole.
I expect Fears to average anywhere from 6.0-9.5 points, 1.5-3.5 rebounds, and 2.0-3.5 assists per game. If he can produce these types of numbers, it'll be extremely hard for voters to leave him off their All-Rookie ballots.
If Fears makes an All-Rookie team, I think the front office will view his rookie campaign as a success.
Another way I think Fears can have a successful rookie campaign is by controlling his turnovers. During Summer League, Fears averaged 2.6 assists to 5.0 turnovers per game, which is nearly two turnovers for every assist.
If he doesn't get smarter with the ball, there's going to be no reason for the Pelicans to keep him on the court. I understand guards have the hardest time transitioning from college to the NBA, but if Fears can manage to keep his turnovers no higher than two per game, his rookie season will be a success.