Pelicans' Dejounte Murray praises Jeremiah Fears: 'He is the future'

Jeremiah Fears has emerged as a franchise cornerstone for the New Orleans Pelicans, and the rookie guard recently earned some praise from veteran teammate Dejounte Murray.

Fears is averaging 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 31.4% from 3-point range in 58 appearances. He is fifth among all rookies in scoring and is one of four first-year players with at least 10 20-point games.

Murray is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday after recovering from a right Achilles rupture sustained on Jan. 31, 2025. Watching from afar, the 10th-year guard has been impressed with Fears and is eager to play alongside him.

He is the future. He is going to be great. My job is to continue to be a pro, work on my game and show him what it looks like. He is a confident young man. But he has just got to understand that there are a lot of ups and downs and he has got to enjoy his journey. We were all at that point and he will get to where he wants to go, as long as he continues to be a sponge and work on his game.

Fears earlier this season became the fourth-youngest player in history to register three consecutive 20-point performances, trailing Cooper Flagg, Kevin Durant and LeBron James (19 years, 51 days). It was the third-longest streak by a Pelicans rookie.

The seventh overall pick has filled in as a starter and reserve this season for Pelicans interim coach James Borrego. He is now providing valuable minutes off the bench, with his scoring, playmaking and ability to run the offense on the court.

Fears will now have the luxury of learning from Murray on and off the court, thanks to his work ethic and knowledge of the game. Borrego sees similarities between Fears and Murray, and believes his return to the court will only further help their first-year guard.

"It is on Fears to watch him," Borrego said. "I think that communication: Pick Dejounte's brain, watch him, sit by him, emulate exactly what he is doing out there on the floor. I think, if he does that, that is a great mentor to have as an example, but also someone he can talk to within the game. I think it is only going to elevate Fears' growth and development."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Pelicans news: Borrego reveals how Dejounte Murray can help Fears