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Derik Queen Made Sure to Update His LinkedIn After Being Drafted By Pelicans

Connections are key in every industry.
Michael Kadlick|
Derik Queen looked very professional prior to being drafted.
Derik Queen looked very professional prior to being drafted. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New Orleans Pelicans

Some players' first instinct upon being drafted is to cry, scream, smile, or even pick up the commissioner of the league. Derik Queen's, however, was different.

After being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and later traded to New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, one of the first things the former Maryland Terrapin did was updated his LinkedIn profile with his new profession.

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as a Professional Basketball Player at New Orleans Pelicans!" read Queen's post. "Can't wait to touch down in New Orleans and meet the fans!"

Here's a look:

New Orleans' selection of Queen was met with plenty of scrutiny as they had to trade up 10 spots using a 2025 first-round pick to do so. The Ringer's Bill Simmons called the move "one of the five dumbest trades of this decade."

We'll ultimately have to wait and see if it works out. If it doesn't? Queen's connections will likely know about it with an #OpenToWork profile picture.

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Mike Kadlick
MICHAEL KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a senior NFL news writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.

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