The rigors of the NBA rookie season can exhaust even the most prepared first-year players. However, for New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derrick Queen, the physical demands are matched by a growing appreciation for the All-Rookie opportunity in front of him, even when it comes in the middle of the night.
Queen has been one of James Borrego's key players during an injury-plagued season. However, the physical impact of playing over 1000 pre-All-Star games after a few months of some off-season rehab work isn't really taking effect yet.
Queen shared, "I feel good. I was just thinking about it. I forgot all about the three months I was out." "I actually woke up at midnight thinking about it. I'm (somewhat) excited for the opportunity to perform."
The excitement of finally being on the floor, of finally getting a chance to prove myself in the league, has completely overshadowed the memory of the downtime. When Queen was asked to pinpoint his favorite moment so far, the play that injected some joy into a losing season, he didn't select a poster highlight or a career-high scoring night. Instead, the rookie chose a moment of pure basketball intelligence.
"When we played Portland, at halftime we were talking about kicks and how we didn't have to take extra dribbles," Queen said. "The kicks are open, and they were pressuring us. I got the ball, took a dribble, then passed it to (Sadiq Bey), and he made a three. It was a good pass."
In a league often obsessed with dunks and isolation scoring, Queen's favorite play was a simple swing pass resulting in a three-pointer. It was a play born of a halftime adjustment. That's the only thing the Pelicans are excited about. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver invested in a man who appreciates playing the game the right way.
Between midnight revelations about her own resilience and the satisfaction she finds in making the right read at the right time, Queen appears to be settling into her rookie season with a quiet confidence. The minutes are accumulating, the lessons are accumulating, and for now, the former Maryland student is excited for the opportunities to come, one sleepless night at a time.
