The 2025 NBA Draft class has been impressive, to say the least. The likes of Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, Cedric Coward and Dylan Harper, among many others, have been really impressive and impactful.
Flagg, in fact, is already widely considered the best player on the Dallas Mavericks, while Knueppel has been a game-changer for a Charlotte Hornets team contending for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
For NBA dunk legend Nate Robinson, though, one player among the current crop of rookies has stood out to him: New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen.
During an interview with Athlon Sports, via Casino.org who review Kalshi promo codes, Robinson discussed the NBA's top rookies and mentioned Queen, whom he compared to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
Queen, the 13th overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, is averaging 12.2 points on 49.1% shooting, along with 7.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He has shown flashes of becoming a triple-double threat, much like Jokic.
In fact, during a Dec. 8 game against the San Antonio Spurs, Queen recorded 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to become the first rookie center ever to record a 30-point triple-double.
"Derik Queen [is] nice," Robinson said of the Pelicans' rising star. "I think he's Baby Joker 2.0. He plays like The Joker."
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Derik Queen-Nikola Jokic Comparisons
The comparison isn't surprising, and Robinson isn't the only one to see the similarities between Queen and Jokic.
Queen is still a rookie and needs to be consistent to really get to Jokic's level, but the skills are there. Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said as much, specifically highlighting how Queen's passing impacts the game for them.
"(The passing) opens up your offense so much," Borrego stated in January, per Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints. "They've got to account for other guys on the floor, and it creates a spirit of unselfishness and creativity on the weak side. When you have someone who can pass like (Queen), there's a creativity in what guys can do off the ball. The offense is less predictable, and teams that play off-ball with more of a Jokic-type player, you're very unpredictable with how you play."
Borrego added that having players like Jokic and Queen makes a team "tough to scout." He emphasized that Queen's passing "adds another dimension and layer to our offense," as well as "really raises the bar as far as moving the ball and trusting one another."
It remains to be seen if Queen will be able to develop into a high-impact and MVP-level player like Jokic, but sure enough, he's off to a terrific start to his career.