NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have exercised a fourth-year option on third-year center Yves Missi, as well as third-year options on both of their 2025 first-round draft picks: guard Jeremiah Fears and forward Derik Queen.
The moves, announced Tuesday, were expected as Missi is the club's projected starting center this season, while both Fears and Queen produced while receiving ample playing time as rookies in the team's first season with Joe Dumars serving as executive vice president of basketball operations.
Missi, drafted 21st overall out of Baylor in the 2024, has appeared in 139 games with 81 starts, averaging 7.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game.
He has 19 career double-doubles.
Fears, drafted seventh overall out of Oklahoma in 2025, played in all 82 games games as a rookie with 49 starts.
Named to the NBA's All-Rookie second team, Fears scored in double-figures 59 times, including 17 games with 20 or more points. He finished the season with averages of 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Queen, drafted 13th overall out of Maryland in 2025, also was named NBA All-Rookie second team last season after averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 81 games. He started 48 games and played about 25 minutes per game.
Queen recorded two triple doubles last season, the only rookie with more than one.
The Pelicans open the regular season Wednesday night at home against the Indiana Pacers.
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New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks' Tobi Lawal, left, defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (0) looks to pass the ball under pressure from Miami Heat forwards Andrew Wiggins (22) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (7) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) dunks the ball during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Miami Heat Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA championship banner kept rising high above everyone on the court, just like OG Anunoby did the last time the New York Knicks played a meaningful game at Madison Square Garden.
And just like that night four months ago, it felt as if fans would never stop cheering.
The Knicks celebrated their championship Tuesday with a banner night — two of them — before losing 106-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener.
Wearing white uniforms with gold trim for the occasion — with gold sneakers as well for NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson — the Knicks received their championship rings from Hall of Famer Walt Frazier and then watched as the blue banner reading “2025-26 World Champions” rose to the rafters.
“Really special. Happy we got it out of the way and we can move on for now, but it was a really cool thing,” Brunson said after the game.
Outside of their preseason exhibition games, it was the first time the Knicks played at home since Game 4 of the NBA Finals, when Anunoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining capped off a record-setting comeback from a 29-point deficit. The highlight of the play during a montage that was shown on the overhead videoboard set off some of the loudest roars of the night.
Brunson began his remarks to fans Tuesday by referencing that game, thanking them for not leaving the arena early.
The Knicks finished off the San Antonio Spurs in the next game, setting off “Knicks in 5! Knicks in 5!” chants around New York that resumed Tuesday night.
Brunson told fans that the Knicks were seeking to turn the page after the team's first championship since 1973.
“But one thing I would like to say,” he added. “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.”
Brunson had talked about trying to move on from last season since the Knicks arrived at training camp, but acknowledged Tuesday night the difficulty in doing that until after they'd had one last celebration.
“You have everyone praising guys, praising us about what we’ve done a couple months ago,” he said. “And it’s just human nature and it’s difficult, but just to hold each other accountable we've been trying to do that, just to make sure that we’re on the same page and trying to get better.
“Obviously we’re very thankful for what we did, but there’s still a lot left for us to prove.”
Before raising the title banner, the NBA champions hung one at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the NBA Cup title they won last season.
The Knicks broke with tradition last December when they became the first team to win the in-season tournament and then not commemorate it with a banner. They said at the time they were looking ahead to bigger things.
They ended up getting the biggest thing possible in the rematch with the Spurs. The Knicks also defeated San Antonio in the NBA Cup final.
The NBA Cup banner went up sometime after the Sixers held their morning shootaround at the arena. Coach Mike Brown said before the game it was a recognition of the Knicks' journey last season.
“There were a lot of, obviously, ups and downs throughout the course of the year, and our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup,” Brown said, “and then you go ahead and win the regular season final, or excuse me, the end of season final, and it’s just a recognition to not just to our guys, but to the fans out there.”
The two banners were the first hung at Madison Square Garden by the Knicks since they won the Atlantic Division title in 2012-13.
But things move quickly in New York. After struggling through their opener, the Knicks know there's work ahead to stay at the top.
“Like, we shouldn’t sit there and think that we’re champions, because we're not,” forward Josh Hart said. “Right now we’re 0-1. We're the worst team in the NBA, as of right now.”
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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson wears gold colored shoes during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns gestures before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Former New York Knicks player Clyde Frazier looks at his ring before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The New York Knicks 2025-26 World Champions banner is raised before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, looks on with teammates as the Knicks 2025-26 World Champions banner is raised before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns waves as the Knicks 2025-26 World Champions banner is raised before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Toronto Raptors play the New York Knicks during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
