NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – It’s hard to win in the NBA if you’re relying on rookies, and the Pelicans’ 3-19 record is the result of that being the unexpected reality this season for New Orleans.
Injuries to Zion Williamson and other key players are once again the story for the Pelicans, which has opened up opportunities for their rookie class.
In this week’s NBA Rookie of the Year candidate ladder, point guard Jeremiah Fears and center Derik Queen find themselves in the Top 5 at the same time for the first time this season.
Fears and Queen are the only two players on the Pelicans’ roster who have appeared in every game so far this season.
This week, Fears reached his highest rank at No. 3, only behind Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel and Dallas’s Cooper Flagg. Fears has scored 10 or more points in every game this season except one, and is shooting well, 45 percent from the floor.
Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (0) reacts to a call in the first half Tuesday (Dec. 2) against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)(Tyler Kaufman | AP)
Averages: 15.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3 assists
Derik Queen falls one spot in the ranking this week from No. 4 to No. 5 after a four-game stretch of reduced playing time as interim coach James Borrego relied more on the 7-foot second-year center Yves Missi for defensive purposes. Queen bounced back with a strong performance in the overtime loss to Minnesota on Tuesday (21 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast), without Williamson in the lineup. With Williamson out for the foreseeable future, Queen’s minutes and touches will likely continue to increase as key offensive sets typically run through Queen.
Averages: 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists (leads all rookies)
New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) talks to head coach James Borrego in the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)(Peter Forest | AP)
Current rookie ladder rankings:
1. Kon Knueppel
2. Cooper Flagg
3. Jeremiah Fears
4. Cedric Coward
5. Derik Queen
6. VJ Edgecombe
7. Ace Bailey
8. Ryan Kalkbrenner
9. Egor Dëmin
10. Ryan Nembhard
Right now, the race is Knueppel and Flagg’s to lose, but recent developments in New Orleans have become factors for the Pelicans’ rookies to surge into the Top 5. Not only have injuries to vets given Fears and Queen more opportunities, but Borrego’s emphasis on committing to a fast-paced offense has also increased their production while playing more minutes.
Tune into the Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network tonight to see the Pelicans’ youth movement take on the T-Wolves again in a second-straight matchup. Coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2025 WVUE. All rights reserved.