"Hours before the biggest start of his life against Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, Derik Queen took a seat in a row of chairs between the New Orleans Pelicans' two practice courts following a recent morning shootaround. The 20-year-old center acts his age and has a kid-like joy. He has a smile filled with braces and an endearing cartoonish laugh that not even the Pelicans' sinking season has spoiled. "That's exactly what he is -- a kid," DeAndre Jordan, who won a title with Jokic in 2023 and is now mentoring Queen in New Orleans, told ESPN. "He still got a little baby fat.""
"Queen is the face of one half -- along with No. 7 pick Jeremiah Fears -- of the Pelicans' future for which new executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars paid a steep price. On draft night, the Pelicans selected Fears, then traded the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 13 selection, where they selected Queen. It instantly became one of the most scrutinized draft trades in recent memory."
""Everyone I talked to after the draft were like, what the f--- were they doing?" one Western Conference executive said of the Pelicans' draft trade. "... Queen obviously has some talent and skill and could very well end up being a very good player. Maybe it turns out that it is not that bad of a trade if this kid turns out to be a player.""
Derik Queen is a 20-year-old New Orleans Pelicans center noted for his youthful demeanor, braces and an infectious, cartoonish laugh while displaying promising on-court production. DeAndre Jordan mentors Queen and highlights his kid-like nature and lingering baby fat. The Pelicans acquired Queen at No. 13 after trading the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta, a move that prompted heavy scrutiny from league executives. Some evaluators criticized the trade yet acknowledged Queen's talent and potential to become a very good player. Queen has produced standout performances, including becoming the first rookie center with a 30-point triple-double in NBA history.
Read at ESPN.com
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