The New Orleans Pelicans made a notable move this season, acquiring rookie big man Derik Queen from the Atlanta Hawks, who had selected him 13th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. And while Queen’s on-court production has been impressive for a first-year player, the Pelicans as a team are still searching for consistency - a search that’s clearly testing the patience of some of their young talent.
Queen, in particular, has had moments of frustration. According to reports, he even directed some of that emotion toward Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka - a sign of just how intense things have gotten during a rocky stretch for New Orleans.
But amid the ups and downs, Queen continues to show why he was such a highly touted prospect. Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers gave fans another look at his potential - and a moment that had everyone talking.
During the pregame jump ball, Queen inexplicably jumped four times before the referee tossed the ball, then didn’t leave the floor when the ball was actually released. It was a quirky, lighthearted moment that quickly made the rounds on social media - a rare bit of levity in an otherwise competitive night.
Once the ball was in play, though, Queen got back to business. He notched a double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in 28 minutes of action.
It was the kind of well-rounded performance that’s becoming more and more common for him. Still, it wasn’t enough to lift the Pelicans, who fell to the Pacers 127-119 despite all five starters scoring in double figures.
What’s standing out about Queen isn’t just the box score - it’s the way he’s playing the game. Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego recently drew a notable comparison, likening Queen’s style to that of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. It’s a lofty parallel, but Borrego wasn’t just talking about stats - he was talking about feel, vision, and the way Queen opens things up for his teammates.
“The passing opens up your offense so much,” Borrego said. “They’ve got to account for other guys on the floor, and it creates a spirit of unselfishness and creativity on the weak side.
When you have someone who can pass like (Queen), there’s a creativity in what guys can do off the ball. The offense is less predictable, and teams that play off-ball with more of a Jokic-type player - you’re very unpredictable with how you play.”
That kind of offensive versatility is rare in a rookie big, and it’s one of the reasons Queen is quickly climbing the ranks in the Rookie of the Year conversation. Through his first season, he’s averaging 12.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game - solid numbers that only tell part of the story. His court awareness, unselfish play, and ability to impact the game beyond scoring are what’s really catching the eyes of coaches and analysts alike.
Queen isn’t Jokic - at least not yet. But he’s showing flashes of a similar playmaking DNA, and for a Pelicans team still figuring out its identity, that’s a promising piece to build around. There’s still work to be done in New Orleans, but if Queen continues on this trajectory, the franchise might have found a cornerstone in the middle - and a uniquely skilled one at that.