Kevon Looney Has High Praise for Pelicans Rookie Center

The New Orleans Pelicans are in trouble. In what some are calling the stupidest move of the offseason, they traded away their unprotected first-round pick for this season in order to draft Derik Queen. With a fairly deep and talented roster, the one chance they had to avoid this move coming back to bite them was to be a playoff team this season. So far, things are not looking good.

The Pelicans have started the season 2–9 and currently sit as the last-place team in the Western Conference. Zion Williamson is once again hurt, and nobody else on the roster is showing that they can take the reins in his absence. 

One small bright note is that Queen, the guy they risked their pick to go get, is looking like a solid player. After a slow start, Queen has picked things up in the last few games, averaging 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in his last five games. 

Offseason free agent signing and NBA champion veteran center, Kevon Looney, spoke about Queen and the potential he’s seen from the rookie.

“Been most impressed with his IQ. He's got a great feel. He sees the floor and pace of the game really well... The sky is the limit... The more minutes he gets, the more different coverages he sees, he'll be able to pick the game apart.”

This is high praise from a veteran like Looney. Looney knows what it takes to be a winner and has spent a lot of time around some of the greatest basketball players and minds in NBA history. 

For the Pelicans, they need Queen to be a major success. After taking such a risk to trade up and draft him, he is the only thing that can save them from complete embarrassment.