Pelicans rookie Derik Queen fired back at the Hawks' social media jab, reminding Atlanta of their next showdown. Get ready for round two.
Derik Queen won’t see the Atlanta Hawks again until early January, but the New Orleans Pelicans rookie has already sharpened the tone for the rematch — and Atlanta’s weekend sweep in New Orleans played a central role.
The exchange unfolded after the Falcons’ 24-10 win over the Saints on Sunday. When defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro sealed the game with a late sack, Atlanta’s social media team posted the celebration with the caption, “Marked safe from Derik Queen.” The line referenced the Pelicans center, who had faced the Hawks the night before.
Queen saw the post quickly. Within hours, he reposted it on X and added one detail: the date and time of the Pelicans’ next meeting with the Hawks.
The message, though lighthearted, signaled that the first-year center had taken note of Atlanta’s jab — and that he intends to remember it by the time the teams meet again.
The moment spread quickly among fans from both cities, partly because Atlanta–New Orleans matchups already come with natural competitive tension.
The Falcons and Saints have long been one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries. While the Hawks and Pelicans do not share the same history, the energy between the two cities often carries over whenever the franchises meet.
Atlanta’s 115-98 win on Saturday only strengthened that connection. The Hawks controlled the pace from the opening quarter, outscored the Pelicans by double digits in the first half and held New Orleans to 42.9% shooting. The performance extended the Hawks’ recent stretch of strong play and gave them a convincing road victory.
But the rookie also made sure to acknowledge how he arrived on the other side of the matchup. In response to a separate post explaining the connection, Queen noted on X that the Pelicans had traded the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round selection to acquire the Hawks’ No. 13 pick in the 2025 draft — the pick used to select him.
That layer adds to the storyline, giving Atlanta extra incentive to monitor Queen’s development and performance whenever the teams meet.
The Hawks and Pelicans will not face each other again until Jan. 7, the final meeting between the two clubs this season. With Atlanta holding the early edge — and the Falcons helping fan the flames — the rematch now carries a sharper tone than a typical midseason game. For the Hawks, it is also a chance to maintain control of a matchup that has suddenly found new life off the court.