Opening night didn't go the way the New Orleans Pelicans had hoped, as they lost 128-122 to the Memphis Grizzlies. However, there is one major silver lining: their rookie class looks phenomenal. Out of the two rookies who played, Jeremiah Fears really stood out and looked like a future All-Star. But first, let's look at what Derik Queen did.
Despite Queen's shooting 1/4 from the field, he still impressed me with his three points and five rebounds. He was a monster on the glass, helping generate second-chance opportunities on offense at times, and we even saw him show those point guard-type skills he has when he went coast to coast in the late third quarter. Even though he missed three shots, they were quality looks that, with time, he'll be able to make.
Now to the star of the show, Mr. Zero Fears —what a performance: tied for second on the team in points with 17 off the bench, and led the team in efficiency at 70 percent from the field. He used his burst and shiftiness from the point to leave Grizzlies defenders looking foolish. On the night, he shot 5/6 at the rim, which is really encouraging for someone who only stands at 6'3" and 190pounds.
It's only up from here
Even after a 17-point performance, it's obvious there's another level to his game. With more than half his shot attempts coming at the basket, think about how much more deadly his game will be when he improves his three-point shooting. He's already causing fits for opposing teams without being a real threat from distance, so when he adds that he'll become unguardable.
The same goes for Queen, who hasn't been part of a real game since July and was kind of just thrown into the fire against Memphis, but still put together a solid performance. With Yves Missi joining Karlo Matkovic and Kevon Looney on the injury report, DQ very well could be a starter in the home opener versus San Antonio.
During the offseason, we heard Joe Dumars speak about not putting too much pressure on the rookies and giving them time to develop and grow. But clearly, they've already earned the trust of both their head coach and front office, with Fears being the team's clear-cut backup point guard and Queen likely stepping into a starting center role soon.
The future in New Orleans is so bright it's blinding, and it's not just because of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, and Herb Jones but also because of their 2025 rookie class.