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.
"Definitely. I don't think anyone in that class is ever going to be better than me... Most of those guys I beat on in High School... Just beat on them next year and make Joe look like a genius"
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) June 28, 2025
-- Derik Queen on being motivated by the noise around the trade pic.twitter.com/aWiIkZ4eJK
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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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Derik Queen Determined to Make Pelicans Exec Look Like 'Genius' for Ridiculed Draft Trade.
