The New Orleans Pelicans were perhaps the most disappointing NBA team in the 2024-25 season, at least in terms of the talent on their roster and the expectations they had entering the year compared to how they actually performed. Despite employing several high-caliber players and hoping to make a deep playoff run, they finished just 21-61, sending them to the draft lottery once again.
On the bright side, their poor place in the standings did enable them to add Oklahoma point guard Jeremiah Fears with the seventh-overall pick, alongside fellow rookies Derik Queen out of Maryland and former Georgetown Hoya Micah Peavy. They'll join a flawed but talented roster in New Orleans that should be shooting for a return to the playoffs in this upcoming season.
While the Pelicans didn't see much team success in 2024-25, they did get multiple encouraging individual campaigns from their players. Their fans should see them well represented in NBA 2K26, which, along with some tweaking of the oft-maligned shooting mechanics, could make for a fun experience in the new game.
How the New Orleans Pelicans' player ratings progressed throughout NBA 2K25
Zion Williamson maintained his status as a top-tier player
Zion Williamson didn't have the season he or the fans hoped for in the 2024-25 campaign. Mainly, he wasn't on the court nearly as much as expected. After a career-high 70 games played in the year prior, Williamson only notched 30 outings this past season.
When he was on the hardwood, he was as dominant as ever, though, finishing with averages of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 stocks on 57 percent shooting. He started as an 88 overall in NBA 2K25 and was an 89 in the final update, reflecting another strong but short season for the former Duke Blue Devil.
Trey Murphy III exploded onto the scene
One of the primary drivers behind the Pelicans' optimism for next season was the arrival of Trey Murphy III as a legitimate star-level player. Amid a litany of injuries to the core roster, he took full advantage of the extra opportunities made available to him to establish himself as a foundational piece for New Orleans moving forward.
Last season, he put up career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists per game with 21.1, 5.1, and 3.5, respectively, while maintaining his efficiency with 45 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from deep, on a much tougher shot diet. This led him to jump from an 80 overall at the launch of NBA 2K25 to an 84. Don't be surprised to see him continue to ascend throughout NBA 2K26 as well.
Other notable movements from the New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III weren't the only Pelicans to receive significant updates to their ratings in NBA 2K25:
Jordan Poole: 79 to 83
Dejounte Murray: 86 to 84
Yves Missi: 70 to 80
Hopefully, Dejounte Murray can recover his standing after he comes back from his Achilles injury. The Pelicans will also be hoping that their rookies Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Micah Peavy can make massive jumps in their initial ratings like Yves Missi did after an impressive first year.