Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen already have some NBA Summer League memories etched in their brains.
For Fears, it was all of the times in middle school when he visited Las Vegas and got to watch Summer League games. He even got to play in some pickup games as a freshman in high school.
Queen still remembers watching six years ago when Zion Williamson ripped the ball out of the hands of then-New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox and finished the play with a thunderous slam dunk.
Now Fears and Queen — drafted seventh and 13th overall, respectively, by the New Orleans Pelicans two weeks ago — get to make some Summer League memories of their own.
They’ll make their Summer League debut Thursday at 2:30 p.m. when the Pelicans play their opener in Vegas against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
“We are going to come out and set a statement and show everybody what the New Orleans Pelicans can bring,” Fears said. “Every time we step on the court, we are going to go out there and go hard and play together and we’re going to rack up some W’s.”
The Pelicans went 1-4 in Summer League play last year, but the record doesn’t really matter. The focus will be on how well Fears, a guard from the University of Oklahoma, and Queen, a forward from the University of Maryland, play.
“Those guys are going to get a ton of work,” [Pelicans Summer League coach Corey Brewer](https://www.nola.com/tncms/asset/editorial/57725874-28e6-4239-aa70-639afb4f99e8/) said. “We want to see what we got.”
Although Fears was the higher draft pick, even more focus will be on Queen. He is the player who first-year executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars traded up 10 spots for in the draft to select. In that trade with the Atlanta Hawks, the Pelicans gave up their first-round draft pick in the 2026 draft.
The move drew a lot of criticism. Queen’s play is the one thing that can silence the noise.
“I just want to show that I’m one of the best that got drafted this year,” Queen said. “It doesn’t matter if I went 13, second, third or fourth or whatever. I just want to show them that I’m the best.”
Queen will get a chance to show his ability to score and pass, as well as his basketball IQ, the traits that made Dumars covet him so much. Fears, whose quickness has impressed during practices so far, will get a chance to show he can run the offense.
“I want to put the ball in his hands, let him make plays,” Brewer said. “He’s got to make mistakes, too. The only way you’re going to get better is by making mistakes, so he’s going to have the ball in his hands.”
Fears relishes the opportunity.
“A lot of coaches don’t give rookies the opportunity to go out there and show what they are capable of,” Fears said. “So him giving me the ball and letting me learn on the fly and make mistakes is going to be something that I can take with me and something I can learn from as well.”
Queen will get to play minutes alongside second-year center Yves Missi, the first-round draft pick last year who was named to the second-team All-Rookie team this season.
“Yves is going to love playing with me because I’m going to keep throwing him lobs and just help the team,” Queen said. “And both of us work well together.”
Fears isn’t just interested in who he is playing with. He’s also focused on who he is playing against.
His goals for Vegas?
“Just to compete and see some of my old teammates that I played with in high school,” Queen said. “I have some people on my hit list, so hopefully I can get to them.”
The real NBA games don’t come until October. That’s when Fears and Queen will get to put on their uniforms and play alongside Williamson, Trey Murphy and other veterans. But this trip to Vegas is the next best thing for Fears and Queen, who last played in meaningful games during March Madness.
“It’s one of those things where you’ve got to look back and kinda reminisce a little bit and just take it all in,” Fears said. “It’s a great experience and something you dream of doing all your life. Finally being able to be in this position is something that every kid wants to achieve.”
**PELICANS SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE**
Thursday: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (2:30 p.m.)
Saturday: vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday: vs. Portland Trail Blazers (9 p.m.)
Wednesday: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (8:30 p.m.)
July 18, 19 or 20: TBA