New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen will have a new jersey number next season after previously wearing No. 25 for much of his basketball career.

Queen donned that number last season as a freshman at the University of Maryland and during his tenure at the Montverde Academy in Central Florida. He even wore it while playing AAU basketball, leading Team Thrill to the Under Armour Association U-17 spring championship in 2023.

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With No. 25 currently occupied by Trey Murphy III, Queen opted to change to No. 22. It isn’t exactly clear why Queen chose No. 22, but it was one of the closest open numbers to his longtime preference.

Queen was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, averaging 16.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 36 games on 52.6% shooting from the field. He helped lead the Terrapins to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016.

The 13th pick debuted with the Pelicans in the NBA Summer League, averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2.3 assists and one block in three appearances. He registered a double-double in each appearance, including a 17-point, 10-rebound effort against Portland on July 15.

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The Pelicans announced on July 18 that Queen would miss at least 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to address a torn ligament in his left wrist sustained against the Trail Blazers. After an encouraging run over the summer, Queen and the team will be hopeful for a speedy recovery.

Note: Throughout August, Rookie Wire is looking at every first-round pick and why each player selected their respective jersey number as they make the jump to the NBA.

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This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Pelicans news: Derik Queen chooses new number to begin NBA career