San Antonio Spurs announcer and former NBA All-Star Antonio Davis was left impressed by New Orleans Pelicans big man Derik Queen. While calling the Spurs-Pelicans clash on Saturday, Davis claimed Spurs legend Tim Duncan sent a heartfelt message for the rookie Queen.According to Davis, Duncan texted him while watching the game, saying that he likes how Queen plays against his former squad. "Right now, I'm sitting here with my phone in my hand and Tim Duncan just sent me a text about Derik Queen," he said while breaking down Queen's all-around play. "He said, 'I really like that Queen guy,' Yes me too bro."Duncan was in the arena, watching the game in the stands as the camera panned on him during Davis' declaration. Queen had 13 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in 25 minutes off the bench, but the Pelicans yielded to the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs, 126-119. Queen played as the team's main center, as starting center Kevon Looney only logged in 17 minutes during the game. The 20-year-old center was drafted 13th during the 2025 NBA draft. He has played nine games so far with promising averages of 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Queen has been one of the few bright spots in the Pelicans' season so far, where they have only won two of their nine games. Pelicans forward gives praise to rookie QueenDerik Queen has also impressed his teammates to open the season, including Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey. According to Bey, Queen's defense and tenacity have allowed the Pelicans to gain the upper hand in numerous games to start the year. "He has been great, man," Bey said last Friday, per USA Today's Cody Taylor. "He battled (a wrist injury) before this season, so it is great to see him out there being able to finish games, have the ball in his hands." "Defensively, I know people don't really give him that much credit, but I think, defensively, he has won us games down the stretch playing great pick-and-roll defense."Queen has slowly gained playing time in the Pelicans' most recent games, and he is expected to break out even more as the season goes by.