When he takes the court Sunday against Minnesota, Jeremiah Fears will become the first rookie in Pelicans history to appear in all 82 games, writes Rod Walker of NOLA (subscription required). The seventh pick in last year’s draft prides himself on durability and said he hasn’t missed a game since he broke his thumb as a high school freshman.
“Being able to play all 82 games is big time,” Fears said. “Not everybody gets the opportunity to play all 82 games. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity. I feel like I’ve made the most of the minutes I get when I go out there.”
Fears has been one of the bright spots in a lost season for New Orleans. He’s averaging 14 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 25.6 minutes per game and set a franchise rookie record by scoring 40 points in Tuesday’s win over Utah. With increased playing time, his scoring average has risen to 28.8 PPG over the past five games.
Fears credits his recovery process with helping him stay on the court.
“That helps in being able to play all 82 games,” he said. “Focus on your recovery and just continue to stay focused. I’m dedicated to the recovery and the work on and off the court. The hot and the cold tub have been huge for me. I just rely on those things to help me get my body for each and every day.”
There’s more from New Orleans:
DeAndre Jordan‘s impact on the team has been far greater than his on-court statistics, Walker states in a separate story. The 38-year-old center only appeared in 12 games, but he had plenty of advice to share with his much younger teammates from his 18 NBA seasons. “To see the growth of our young team, DeAndre had a massive impact on that,” interim head coach James Borrego said. “He brought professionalism every day. A voice every day. A respect for every drill, every practice and every moment together.” Jordan said he’s not sure how much longer he’ll play and is taking his career one year at a time.
Like most teams, the Pelicans are resting their stars as the season winds down, which creates opportunities for young players like Micah PeavyWalker adds in another piece. The rookie shooting guard delivered 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals on Tuesday as he made his second start of the season. “It’s just the experience,” he said. “Take these games super serious, because during the summer, we’re only going to be able to play pick-up games. It’s not the same. Take it seriously and get everything out of it.”
Appearing this week on Draymond Green‘s podcast, Anthony Davis reflects on the circumstances that led him to demand a trade out of New Orleans in 2019, relays Rashad Milligan of NOLA. He was motivated to move to another franchise where he could compete for championships and is still upset about the $50K fine he received for making a public trade request. “When a team is tired of a player, they can trade him with no consequence,” Davis said. “Right? But once a player is like, ‘I want to do what’s best for me, because I want to compete for championships and win.’ It’s not even about the money. New Orleans offered me a crazy deal at the time. It’s not even about the money; I genuinely want to win. So now, because I want to win, I’m considered a villain to this team and to this fanbase. To this day, I still go back, and they still boo me.”
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