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Derik Queen Determined to Make Pelicans Exec Look Like 'Genius' for Ridiculed Draft Trade

The former Maryland star is using critics as motivation.

Tom Dierberger

Derik Queen was traded from the Hawks to the Pelicans on Thursday night.
Derik Queen was traded from the Hawks to the Pelicans on Thursday night. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Joe Dumars didn't waste much time making a bold move in his first draft as the New Orleans Pelicans' executive vice president of basketball operations.

Shortly after selecting Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, the Pelicans traded up to No. 13 to draft former Maryland star Derik Queen. To do so, they sent the Atlanta Hawks the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick—a risky move considering the Pelicans' middling outlook for 2025-26 in a packed Western Conference and the loaded talent in next year's draft class.

Many insiders and analysts in the basketball world roasted the Pelicans for pulling the trigger on such a daring trade, including FS1's Nick Wright and The Ringer's Bill Simmons, who called it one of the "dumbest" moves of the last decade.

Queen has heard the criticism and is using it as motivation in his rookie year.

"I'm going to say, I don't think nobody in that [2026] class is ever going to be better than me," Queen said Saturday during a press conference. "I block all the noise out. [Dumars] got a lot of faith in me. Most of those guys [in the 2026 draft class], I beat on in high school. ... I know the NBA is a whole different level, so just got to continue getting better, don't get too big-headed, don't get too low.

"Just beat on them next year when they come in and make Joe look like a genius.

Queen, a 6'10" center, averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds as a freshman at Maryland next season. He'll now join a Pelicans team led by Zion Williamson that is searching for its first playoff series win since 2018.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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