New Orleans Pelicans standouts Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have had great starts to their rookie years, earning invites to the 2026 Rising Stars event.
The main thing keeping a smile on the face of New Orleans Pelicans fans during their 12-36 has been their impressive rookies, Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. Both players received a nice honor on Monday night.
With All-Star weekend a couple of weeks away, the NBA announced the rosters for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars event, a showcase for the best young players that the NBA has to offer. Both Queen and Fears were a part of the group of rookies to get invited.
Like the regular All-Star game, the actual event is a mini-tournament this year. Three teams will be drafted out of the eligible players and then a fourth team of G-League players. So Queen and Fears might not actually end up as teammates, but both will take part and have certainly earned it.
Queen has been a revelation in his first year. His talent was never questioned, but teams wondered if the work ethic was there and if his game would translate to the NBA, mostly because he is such a unique player. It did not take him very long to prove he belonged.
The center has averaged 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His scoring has been a bit all over the place, but he has improved as a rebounder and is a great passer. He can be the engine of a legit NBA offense soon.
Fears has showcased some great scoring skills. It has become a bit less consistent as time has gone by, expected for a rookie, but he can still drop 20-plus on any given night.
The guard is averaging 13.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 43.5/31.8/80.9 shooting splits. As soon as he becomes more confident from beyond the arc, improves as a playmaker and learns more on the defensive side, which are all things that will come as he spends time in the league, he will be a great starting guard.
The future of the Pelicans organization is far brighter than it was entering the season, thanks to these two impressive rookies.