Jeremiah Fears shines, Zion Williamson boasts improved fitness, and the Pelicans display remarkable resilience. This preseason reveals promising signs for the New Orleans squad.
The New Orleans Pelicans wrapped up their preseason action on Thursday against the Orlando Magic, going 2-2 in their four games.
While the Pelicans didn't win either of their games against NBA squads, there were a couple of very positive takeaways that they should walk out of this first batch of action with:
Jeremiah Fears Looks Like He Belongs
Possibly the biggest takeaway from the preseason games was the impact that Jeremiah Fears had on the games. He looked like a real NBA player out there and could be ahead of schedule for someone who just turned 19 years old.
That is not to say that Fears will lead the team this season, but he should be able to contribute and looks to have an extremely high ceiling.
After coming out of the gates with an inefficient debut game in Australia, Fears walked out of the next three games with his chest held high. He had 12, 20 and 16 points in the last three games. He drove to the basket, create his own jump shots, rebounded and distributed well.
Fears looks fast, confident and has the makings of a great guard. New Orleans has to be ecstatic with what he has shown so far.
Zion Williamson Actually Is In Better Shape
Everyone was gushing about Williamson after media day. He talked a big game again, looked slimmer behind the microphone and had the NBA world excited once again. He would need to prove it on the court, though.
Almost immediately, it was clear that this really is a different Williamson. Or, at least, a healthier one. He looked really fast, more aggressive on defense and was creating for others (namely Trey Murphy III) at a better rate.
The offensive bag looks to have grown, as well, as he hit a couple of mid-range shots against the Magic.
The highlights are already fun to watch, but they will be even sweeter if they are happening throughout the season. A healthy Williamson looks ready to lead this team to the playoffs.
This Team Has Some Real Fight
While the Pelicans would have liked to win one of their final two preseason games, head coach Willie Green must be happy with the fight that they showed to make them both close.
After losing the first quarter 38-21 against Orlando, it could have been easy to give up. It was the last preseason game and a blowout. Instead, they put up 104 points over the next three quarters and even had a lead at one point in the third.
They had a 40-point fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets and even had a chance to win the game with the last possession, but it came up just short.
The fact that they did not lay down at any point is a big win for Green.
Saddiq Bey Will Be A Key Bench Piece
Bey had not played basketball since March 2024 before these games. It quickly became clear that he was ready to get back out on the floor.
The 26-year-old forward will be an important piece to the bench unit, providing an element that they missed last year. He's a do-it-all, versatile wing that will pick up a ton a responsibilities.
He shot well from beyond the arc, drew fouls, rebounded, assisted and pretty much everything else for New Orleans.