After 13 months of intense Achilles rehab, Dejounte Murray made a much-anticipated return to the court for the New Orleans Pelicans. Yet, in a game that could have easily been all about his comeback, Murray chose to shine the spotlight on the rookies, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, who played pivotal roles in the victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Murray showed flashes of his old self, putting up 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 25 minutes. However, it was the energy and impact of the first-year players during a crucial third-quarter stretch that drew his postgame praise.
“Yeah, we needed it though. We had some battles in practice.
Just to have a game like that where we came out hot, looked really well to start the game, but then we had some adversity to get through. Shout out to that third quarter.
Our young group came in, and they won that quarter. They played really well to put us in a position to win tonight.
At the end of the day, we've just got to be together and do it together.”
This win offered a glimpse into what James Borrego's injury-riddled Pelicans hope will be a promising future. With the playoffs out of reach, the door is wide open for the rookies, and Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen are seizing the moment, posting numbers worthy of All-Rookie consideration.
For a team led by a demanding Dejounte Murray, mentoring the young core is a chance for veterans to help build something sustainable. As a point guard, guiding the rookies is key. How much have Fears and Queen absorbed from the 29-year-old's wisdom over the past few weeks?
“A lot. Because, as I said, I want to make everybody's jobs easier, and that's going to rub off on them.
But there are guys who already feel that way. You know, you got a guy like Herb Jones that don't ask the coach to draw a play up for him.
He's always active on offense. He sees what no one see defense, he's active.
Everybody knows him for that,” Murray explained. “But, you know, I just think the more we're together off the floor, having fun and learning each other translate, it could be really special.”
The Pelicans, sitting at 15-42, are heading for the lottery, but the emergence of their rookie duo is a genuine highlight. Queen is averaging 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while Fears is contributing 13.3 points and 3.1 assists.
Murray believes their stats only tell part of the story. What's impressed him most is their maturity in handling the ups and downs of an NBA rookie season, especially as their roles have shifted.
“We do like each other. There's no egos.
There's nobody pouting,” Murray shared. “You had young guys starting, then they went to the bench.
They took it, you know, like they should have taken it, and I give a lot of credit to them for that. So, that speaks volumes of maturity and what they're in for.
And we're all here to win and longevity, you know, is a key for everybody.”
For a franchise often searching for stability, Murray sees a foundation being built in real time. Joe Dumars has ‘executed to perfection’ the plan to win Dejounte's trust. Wins might be elusive this season, but the belief in the future is stronger than ever.