Pelicans rookie Derik Queen sidelined after wrist surgery
New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen will miss at least the start of training camp after undergoing surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist.
The 20-year-old had a procedure to fix a torn scapholunate ligament, performed by Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles.
Queen hurt himself Tuesday during an NBA Summer League game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The team says he’ll be reevaluated in about 12 weeks.
That timeline puts his return somewhere around mid-October – potentially missing the October 21 start of the regular season.
It’s a tough break for the promising young big man who had been making quite an impression in his first professional appearances.
Before the injury, Queen was putting up impressive numbers in Summer League action, averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds across three games. He shot a solid 43.8% from the field and knocked down half of his three-point attempts.
The Baltimore native was originally selected 13th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in this year’s draft before the Pelicans acquired his rights through a trade.
Standing 6-foot-10 and weighing 250 pounds, Queen brings significant size to New Orleans’ frontcourt.
He made his mark at Maryland during his only college season, starting all 36 games as a freshman. Queen averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds while adding nearly 2 assists, a steal and a block per game. He shot an efficient 52.6% from the field and 76.6% from the free throw line.
His impact in the Big Ten was remarkable.
Queen finished seventh in the conference in total points (594), grabbed the third-most rebounds (323), and ranked ninth in blocks (39). He was particularly dominant on the defensive glass, finishing second in defensive rebounds with 239.
His defensive skills really stood out – Queen led the entire Big Ten in defensive win shares (2.8) and ranked second in defensive rating (92.4).
All this earned him first-team All-Big Ten honors and the conference’s Freshman of the Year award. He’s the first Maryland player to win that recognition since Joe Smith back in 1994.
Queen saved some of his best performances for the biggest moments. During the Big Ten Tournament, he dropped 31 points against Michigan in the semifinal – the most points ever scored by a Maryland freshman in tournament play.
He then helped guide the Terrapins to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016, averaging nearly 17 points and 9 rebounds throughout the NCAA Tournament.
Scouts love Queen’s offensive skills and size but note he’ll need to improve defensively to thrive at the NBA level. Still, his presence alongside Zion Williamson could give the Pelicans a formidable frontcourt duo once he recovers.
For now, the rookie faces a challenging start to his NBA career as he begins the rehabilitation process.
