NBA Fans Excited to See Pelicans Pick Derik Queen with Zion, Fears After Hawks Trade

Derik Queen is set to start his NBA career in New Orleans, as the Pelicans traded up to select him with the No. 13 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. This comes after one season at Maryland, where he was named to the All-Big Ten team and won the Big Ten Rookie of the Year Award.

The Pelicans traded the 23rd pick and a 2026 unprotected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to select Queen, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

He joins No. 7 overall pick Jeremiah Fears in the Pelicans draft class.

Fans quickly took to social media to project Queen's potential with his new team.

Queen averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 36 games for the Terrapins in 2024-25. He helped the team go 27-9 and reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

He possesses a 6'9", 248-pound frame and will look to translate as a solid presence in the frontcourt at the NBA level.

The Pelicans took a major risk in trading for Queen. The 2026 unprotected first-round pick they gave up will be the higher of their own pick or that of the Milwaukee Bucks.

New Orleans is coming off a 21-61 season and had the fourth-best odds at the top pick in this year's draft. Meanwhile, the Bucks could take a step back if they trade star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.

While the 2025-26 season could be good for the Pelicans, moving up to get Queen does mean they risk missing out on a high selection next year. However, the trade shows that the franchise believes Fears, Queen and Zion Williamson can lead the team to new heights.