What Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen Can Learn From Chris Paul and Anthony Davis in Year 2

Nov 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (0) and center Derik Queen (22) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen don't have to turn into former franchise cornerstones Chris Paul and Anthony Davis overnight. However, the second-year performances of the two greatest players in New Orleans basketball history provide useful standards for evaluating their development.

How Fears stacks up with Paul ahead of second Pelicans season

Fears averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while appearing in all 82 games as a rookie. He ranked fourth among rookies in scoring and seventh in assists. He showed the speed, confidence, and creativity every NBA lead guard needs.

Paul entered his second season under much different circumstances. He was 21 and had played two years at Wake Forest before joining the NBA. Fears played one college season at Oklahoma and played his entire rookie year as a teenager.

Paul was the unquestioned centerpiece of a team being built around him. Fears is surrounded by veterans with lottery-pick pedigrees and postseason experience.

CP3 averaged 17.3 points, 8.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in Year 2 while shooting 43.7 percent overall and 35 percent from three. Expecting Fears to duplicate that level of command would be unreasonable.

The direction still matters. A successful sophomore season for Fears would include increasing his averages to 17 points and five assists per game, while shooting better and making fewer bad decisions. His scoring already demands attention from defenses. The next step is consistently converting that attention into opportunities for teammates.

Davis-like leap may not be easy for Queen in second Pelicans season

Queen's challenge is different.

He averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a rookie, displaying the unusual ball-handling and passing ability that make him such an intriguing offensive prospect. He also shot just 26.1 percent from three and struggled defensively.

Davis made a major leap during his second season, rising from 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks as a rookie to 20.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. He became an All-Star at age 20 and finished among the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.

Queen shouldn't be expected to reproduce that jump. Davis entered the league as a generational defensive prospect and athlete whose offense rapidly expanded. Queen arrived as an advanced offensive creator who must round out his floor game and build a defensive backbone. Their developmental paths are nearly opposites.

A strong second season for Queen would be averaging around 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while moving his field goal percentage near 50%. More important than the box score will be his conditioning, positioning, pick-and-roll defense, and decision-making.

Any comparisons to Paul and Davis are lofty, but the Pelicans' expectations for Fears and Queen are also significant. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver believe they're far more than useful rotation players.

By the end of Year 2, New Orleans needs to see Fears developing into the starting point guard on a winning team and Queen becoming a complete frontcourt player rather than simply an intriguing offensive talent.

That would represent real progress, even without matching the stat lines of two future Hall of Famers.