Pelicans’ Derik Queen reveals ‘Welcome to NBA’ moment courtesy of Joel Embiid

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen has been one of the pleasant surprises this season with his impressive all-around play. After a slow start, he has learned to adjust and become a consistent performer for the Pelicans.

Queen was named as one of the participants in the Rising Stars at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. It is a cool accomplishment for the 21-year-old center, as the NBA acknowledged his hard work and talent.

While Queen has definitely held his own against veterans, he admitted that his welcome-to-the-NBA moments were against two established big men.

“I got cooked twice. By Embiid and AD (Anthony Davis),” said Queen in a video posted by Yahoo! Sports.

NBA's Rising Stars share their "Welcome to the league" moments pic.twitter.com/xZ0oxtOUMC

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 14, 2026

Queen did not specify a play where he was embarrassed by Embiid, but it was definitely fresh in his mind, as the Pelicans and the 76ers faced each other just on February 1.

Queen had nine points on 3-of-8 shooting, six rebounds, and two assists. Embiid, on the other hand, had a game-high 40 points on 13-of-27 shooting, 11 points, four assists, and two blocks.

The Pelicans and the Mavericks have battled three times this season, with Davis suiting up only once, scoring a game-high 35 points on 16-of-28 shooting. He also tallied 17 rebounds and two assists. Queen was not too shabby with 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and two steals.

The Atlanta Hawks selected Queen, who starred for Maryland, as the 13th overall pick. He was traded to the Pelicans on draft day in exchange for Asa Newell and a first-round pick.

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