Heading into the 80th NBA season, many wondered how the New Orleans Pelicans would look with Zion Williamson in the best physical shape of his career. Although he started the season solidly, the Duke product had already experienced a brief pause due to injury, and it must be said that he’s playing below the level we’ve seen from him in previous seasons.

All of this has translated into a disastrous Pelicans season, where they sit last in the West with a 2–14 record. But if there’s one positive thing to take away so far this season, it’s definitely Derik Queen. In a great game against the Dallas Mavericks, who are also stuck at the bottom of the Western Conference, Queen shone with 20 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, becoming the fastest center in NBA history to record a 20 points and 10 assists game. His 11 assists are also the most by a rookie center since Brad Daugherty in 1987.

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Even though his team narrowly lost 118–115, where his former high school teammate Cooper Flagg also dominated, Queen once again sparked comparisons to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who recently said he sees reflections of his own game in Queen’s.

“I mean, it feels good. He’s gonna be a Hall of Famer, three-time MVP, NBA champion. Coming from him, it means a lot. I don’t know if he gives out a lot of compliments, but definitely coming from one of the greatest means a lot,” Queen said.

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The flair in Queen’s game is drawing comparisons with Jokic

Watching the way Queen plays, it’s easy to draw comparisons – the passing instincts, footwork, great post play, and, for now, the lack of finesse on his outside shot. All of it was also visible in the previous matchup, which was his second time playing against the Serbian center.

The Maryland product had 30 points, nine rebounds, and four assists along with two steals and two blocks on 12-of-18 shooting. It was clear then just how similar the two centers are in their styles, and the media quickly rushed to the “Baby Jokic” nickname. To further emphasize how something truly special is hidden in the 20-year-old center was best confirmed by Tim Duncan’s reaction after the game against the San Antonio Spurs.

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“He can flat-out play the game,” Antonio Daniels said of Queen. “I don’t care how you look at it. His ability to do so many things well – he can shoot it, he can pass it, he understands angles. Right now, I’m sitting here with my phone in my hand, and Tim Duncan just sent me a text about Derik Queen. He said, ‘Man, I really like that Queen guy.’ I said, ‘Me too, bro.’”

Pelicans could start building a team around Queen

Although his body type also resembles Jokic, there are some differences. Queen is an undersized center at 6-foot-9, with a 7-foot wingspan, which makes him even more unique. For now, next to Williamson, Queen plays exclusively at the five, but it’s clear that with his mobility, he can easily slide to power forward.

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It’s too early to make any predictions, but the fact is that Queen has caught the attention of more and more people around the league. And if the Pelicans continue to pile up losses, speculation about trading Williamson could become realistic, which would likely mean that GM Joe Dumars might start building the team around the 13th pick in the 2025 Draft.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.