The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the weirdest situations in the NBA right now. You’d think that a 5-22 record would warrant a rebuild and a push to land a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. However, one of the most questionable trades in league history will prevent them from controlling their destiny in June.
The Pelicans will not own their 2026 selection due to the draft-day trade that got them Derik Queen. So far, the rookie forward has impressed this season. But another rookie in New Orleans has been just as good thus far.
Jeremiah Fears, the No. 7 in the 2205 NBA Draft, has been an elite offensive weapon in limited minutes for the Pelicans. The 6-foot-3 point guard is averaging 15.7 points, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 45-36-80 shooting splits in just 27.6 minutes.
Most recently, Fears put up 20 points, three assists and two steals in a 114-104 road win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. In 28 minutes, he shot 7-for-13 from the field, scoring 15 of his 20 points in the second half.
Coming out of Oklahoma, Fears’ on-ball creation was his biggest strength, and a lot of that has translated to the pros. In Chicago, he scored most of his points off the dribble, exploding to the basket for layups but also stopping on a dime for short jumpers. He hit one of three attempts from beyond the arc.
The 19-year-old wasn’t just putting up empty stats. On a night where Queen, his fellow rookie, wasn’t as aggressive in the scoring department (four points, 2-for-4 shooting), Fears stepped up. He and Trey Murphy III each led the team in points.
Jeremiah Fears hometown 20 on 7/13, +12 pic.twitter.com/t3TNPvpQA4
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) December 15, 2025
After the game, Fears, an Illinois native, was mobbed by teammates in his postgame interview. The rookie was asked what it means to come back to his home state and put up a major scoring performance.
“It means a lot, seeing your team behind you. They’ve been supporting me along the whole way,” Fears said. “I think [Jordan Poole has] been talking to me a lot. And just seeing those guys be excited for me is super big for me.”
Fears is slowly pushing himself into the Rookie of the Year race, and could certainly make an All-Rookie team if this kind of production holds up. He currently ranks third in points per game, ninth in assists per game and first in steals per game.