New Orleans Pelicans logo for 2023-23 season
There were times Thursday when you could see just why the New Orleans Pelicans drafted Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen in the first round.
There were other times when you could tell they were rookies with just three days of practice under their belt.
The Pelicans lost their Summer League opener Thursday, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 in Las Vegas in the debut for Fears and Queen.
Fears, selected out of the University of Oklahoma with the No. 7 overall pick, finished with 14 points and 2 assists. But he also had 7 turnovers.
Queen, a University of Maryland product drafted with the No. 13 pick, finished with 13 points and had 10 rebounds. He also had 7 turnovers. Queen got off to a rough start, not scoring his first basket until less than 4 minutes in the third quarter. But then he got going to finish with a double double. Queen’s day was highlighted by a behind-the-back assist to Hunter Dickinson.
While the rookies were the main attraction, the Pelicans’ best games came from players who were on the team last season.
Lester Quinones led the Pelicans with 20 points and knocked down 5 of his 8 3-pointers.
Yves Missi, the first round draft pick from a year ago who went on to be named second team on the All-Rookie team, recorded 13 points and 13 rebounds. Missi went 3 of 9 from the free throw line and the Pelicans made just 14 of 25 free throws.
Quinones and Queen combined to score the Pelicans' final 13 points of the third quarter.
Micah Peavy, the Pelicans’ second round draft pick out of Georgetown, scored 11 points to go with 7 rebounds. Antonio Reeves scored 10 points.
The Pelicans play the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in their second Summer League game.