Rookie Derik Queen Helps Lead Pelicans to Upset Victory Over Timberwolves

Friday's NBA slate brought some surprising outcomes, but perhaps none were more of that than the New Orleans Pelicans pulling up a 119-115 road upset against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota, at 32-21, has been competing for one of the top seeds in a crowded Western Conference. The Pelicans, who are lottery-bound (and do not own their draft pick this year), walked into the Target Center and hung with a legitimate team on both ends of the floor. Rookie Derik Queen was a huge part of that.

The 13th overall pick, acquired via a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism due to New Orleans giving up its 2026 first-round pick in the deal. However, he has continued to display great potential as one of the best rookies in the NBA, putting up 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Minnesota.

DQ with the triple 👌 pic.twitter.com/SaoU1hwoIk
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 7, 2026

The 21-year-old showed off incredible range as a 6-foot-9 big man, knocking down all four of his three-point attempts. He was a hub on the offensive end, but didn't have to do anything more than be efficient. Queen shot 6-for-11 from the field as three Pelicans finished with at least 26 points.

Of course, a big reason Queen was drafted so high is because of his modern style of play. Despite lacking athleticism, he has great vision, able to play make as a forward/center. He showcased a solid amount of passing, recording three assists and an impressive zero turnovers.

herbooooo pic.twitter.com/KulS5KGcAn
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 7, 2026

In the end, Queen came up clutch for New Orleans, hitting a three-pointer with three minutes to go to put the Pelicans up six points. They'd close out the game from there, with a few misses from the Timberwolves.

Queen had an extremely even night in terms of statistical distribution. He didn't start or end very rough, notching nine points, four rebounds and two assists in the first half, shooting 3-for-7 from the field. He recorded eight points, four rebounds and one assist in the final 24 minutes of the game, shooting 3-for-4.

YES PLEASE DQ 🤪 pic.twitter.com/n147hLxRBW
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 7, 2026

If the former Maryland Terrapin can continue to display all-around offense and emphasize his skills as a 6-foot-9 big man, New Orleans could prove a lot of the naysayers wrong down the road.

It will be tough to watch the Hawks use the Pelicans' pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but at least they have a foundation for success in the form of Queen and fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears.