The New Orleans Pelicans don’t have much to be excited about these days.
The 3-21 Western Conference squad is the laughingstock of the league and is likely on its way to trading its injury-prone forward, Zion Williamson.
However, Derik Queen has been one of the few bright spots for New Orleans, as he's exhibited potential during his first NBA season.
Queen is contributing 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game this season, shooting 48.0% from the field in 24 contests.
After getting off to a hot start against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, Queen made NBA history that the league hasn’t seen before.
“Derik Queen is the youngest player ever to have a 20-point quarter without missing a shot,” Real Sports stated on X/Twitter.
For clarity, Queen, who's 20 years old, recorded 21 points on 100% field goal shooting in the opening quarter of the early week contest vs. The Spurs.
While Queen has a ways to go before he reaches Nikola Jokic’s skill/talent level, it’s easy to see why he was often compared to the three-time MVP during the NBA draft process.
Whether using convincing shot fakes and reverse pivots to get defenders off balance or drilling difficult one-legged fadeaways after making contact with his opponents, Queen has a unique way of creating his own offense.
Expect the high-upside pro to continue to make positive strides with the lowly Pelicans this season.
More NBA: Warriors get good news on potential Jonathan Kuminga trade