Rookie Derik Queen's emergence has been a bright spot for reeling Pelicans

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — When Pelicans rookie Derik Queen missed a late shot for the lead against the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado hustled over to him and pushed his palm up under his chin in an expression of encouragement.

The Pelicans felt Queen had nothing to be ashamed of after recording his first NBA triple double — 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — in just his 25th game.

“We wouldn't have been in the game without him,” said Alvarado who passed the ball to Queen in the final seconds of New Orleans' 135-132 loss to the Spurs on Monday night. “We live with that shot every day, make or miss. He's hot. ... I told him 10 out of 10 times I'm doing the same thing all over so keep your head high.”

The Pelicans took a risk to draft Queen, trading first-round draft choices this year and next to Atlanta so they could move up to select the 6-foot-9 former Maryland center 13th overall.

Because new Pelicans basketball operations chief Joe Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver did not protect their 2026 pick in the event they wound up in the draft lottery, the trade for Queen has been widely panned by NBA pundits — especially as New Orleans' losses have piled up.

The Pelicans are 3-23, but Queen is hardly the problem. He has now scored 30 or more points twice this season, and is averaging better than 12 points and six rebounds per game.

Against San Antonio, the Pelicans trailed 77-57 at halftime before Queen began to assert himself around the basket, contorting at times to drop in difficult, contested shots in the paint. He scored 21 points in the period as New Orleans briefly surged in front.

“Any rookie that takes over like that, it's really special,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “You don't see that too often in this league. That was impressive. I don't know how to say it other than that. It was a special performance on his part to make plays, to pass the ball, create for others and for himself to get to the rim.”

Pelicans coaches have already begun trusting Queen to handle the ball coming up the court. He also has demonstrated a knack for delivering nifty passes through traffic to teammates cutting toward the hoop.

“I try to pass, but when things open up, I try to go score,” Queen said.

“Just got to keep being physical, keep going to the rim, keep being smart with it though and keep getting better," Queen added. "Can't be satisfied with tonight.”

And Queen has been improving at a quick rate, Alvarado said.

“He's unorthodox,” Alvarado said. “He can bully you, he can pick you apart, you got to press him up and he's good enough to handle it to go past you. So, it's just a matchup nightmare for the opponent. He's learning and getting batter every day.”

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