Wednesday night was the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The next generation of young stars got ready to hear their names called inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York as they got waited for that life-changing phone call.
The New Orleans Pelicans traded their way into multiple first round picks and scooped up an additional second-round selection ahead of the big night.
Here’s all who the Pelicans took in Wednesday and Thursday’s draft:
1st Round (7th Overall) – Jeremiah Fears
Position: Guard
Height & Weight: 6’3” 180 lbs
College: Oklahoma
Age: 18
Birthplace: Joliet, IL
2024-25 College Stats: In his one year with the Sooners, Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 30.2 points per games. He also played in 34 game with 31 being in the Oklahoma starting lineup. Shooting-wise, Fears shot 43.4% from the floor and was a 28.4% three-point shooter on nearly four attempts a contest.
About The Player: Fears has been described as an offensive player with the best ball handling skills in the class. His ability to transition from high school to an SEC program and have the production he had was impressive for many of the league’s scouts. The big issue in his game has been his defense. Fears’ lack of size and strength often put him in tough positions to defend opposing players. With time and development, the top pick for the Pels can become a dynamic playmaker at the next level.
1st Round (13th Overall) TRADE – Derik Queen
Position: Center
Height & Weight: 6’9” 248 lbs
College: Maryland
Age: 20
Birthplace: Baltimore, MD
2024-25 College Stats: Even though he is older than Fears, Derik Queen also spent one year in college before being drafted. While staying home, Queen averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 30.4 minutes a game. Queen also started in all 36 games and scored 52.6% of the time while also having a free throw percentage of 76.6.
The details of the trade was New Orleans sent the 23rd overall pick and an unprotected 2026 first round pick (most favorable of New Orleans and Milwaukee) to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the 13th overall selection.
About The Player: Joe Dumars nabbed his second offensive weapons in the draft. Out of all the big men in the class, Queen’s the best, exposing mismatches with his ability to create his own shot in a multitude of ways and facilitate to teammates. At 6’9”, he was used as the Terrapins’ center, which would be considered undersized in the Association. Queen also struggled with his conditioning and explosiveness at the college, something that’ll need to be addressed if he was wants to earn playing time. If those issues are resolved, the 13th overall pick could capitalize on being a major contributor offensively in the rotation.