The NBA doesn’t have a comeback player of the year award like the NFL, but if it did, Saddiq Bey would be among the frontrunners, says Rod Walker of NOLA.com.
The Pelicans wing missed the entire 2024/25 while recovering from a torn ACL, but he has been highly productive in his first season in New Orleans, averaging 17.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists on .455/.355/.853 shooting splits in 54 appearances, including 46 starts (30.8 minutes per game).
Bey scored a season-high 42 points (on 14-of-20 shooting) in Thursday’s victory at Utah. He also contributed seven assists and five rebounds in 34 minutes.
As Walker writes, Bey was something of an afterthought in the offseason trade that sent Jordan Poole to New Orleans and CJ McCollum to Washington. But the 26-year-old has been one of the Pelicans’ best players this season, which interim head coach James Borrego admits he “didn’t envision” entering ’25/26.
“He deserves the credit because he works on it every day,” Borrego said. “He does not take a day for granted. I think all of us should learn from Saddiq. He values every day. Every day he gets to walk into an NBA gym, he values it. And he treats it with great care and respect. … He’s really elevated this program.”
Here’s more from New Orleans:
- Borrego praised Jeremiah Fears after the rookie guard recorded his second career double-double in Saturday’s victory in Utah, according to Walker. “His poise, his play-making settled us,” said Borrego. “His pace. You felt him early. Especially when he rebounds like that, we’re gone. To rebound like that at his size and position just fuels our offense. And he continues to grow defensively, making havoc plays out there. I see a focused young man. I thought he was fantastic tonight.” Fears, the seventh overall pick in last year’s draft, finished with 18 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes off the bench.
- The Pelicans will get their leading scorer back on Sunday, as Trey Murphy III has been upgraded to available for tonight’s game at the Clippers after missing five straight games with a right shoulder contusion (press release link). Forward Zion Williamson, who exited Saturday’s game in the second quarter with a right ankle injury and didn’t return, is questionable Sunday on the second of a back-to-back.
- In an interview with William Guillory of The Athletic, Jose Alvarado said it was “bittersweet” to be traded to his hometown Knicks ahead of the deadline. The former Pelicans guard also detailed his close bond with New Orleans and its fans. “They felt the love that I had for the city and it was real love,” Alvarado told The Athletic. “There was nothing fake about it. New Orleans will always be home to me. I always said New Orleans is a gritty, tough city and you can never knock them down. We saw Mother Nature, whoever, try to bring New Orleans down and they always rise back up with their head high. I just think that’s how I carry myself, also, and they saw that in me. Obviously, where I grew up is very different from New Orleans, but I feel like my mindset is very similar to a lot of people from there. They saw how I play and how much passion I show every time I’m out there. That’s how they want somebody to represent the city. They showed me genuine love and I always tried to show the same thing to them.”
The NBA did have Comeback player award though
I haven’t watched any Pelicans games this year, but it seems like they do have some really talented and productive players, why have they been so bad this year?
After starting the season 2-10, coach Willie Green was fired. Interim coach James Borrego (fmr head coach with Charlotte; Popovich coaching tree) has been doing well, addressing some longstanding issues with play style, consistency, identity, defense etc. though the wins have not stacked up in part due to heavy minutes for 2 of 3 rookies (Fears, Queen) and injuries. The recent focus/trend has been on closing games, executing in the clutch. I think you wouldn’t regret watching some games during the last stretch of this season.
Pelicans had one of the highest roster turnovers in the league this year. 12 or 13 new players on the roster, with 4 rookies. That is a very difficult task that most overlook. They didn’t just add a few players to a team that already had chemistry. They’re coming off a season where EVERYONE was hurt — so the 5 or 6 players that have been there for more than a season didnt even have much chemistry. Then they fired their head coach after 10-15 games or whatever, and they finally JUST got back their starting Point Guard (Dejounte Murray). Derik Queen & Jeremiah Fears have been getting a lot of reps — theyre future franchise players who both have the potential to be incredible. I knew with all the new players they would have a slow start. But they have a GREAT roster, and a very young roster, too.
Their veterans are DeAndre Jordan (locker room gem), Kevon Looney (1 of 6 active NBA players with 3 or more rings), and I count Dejounte Murray, as well, even though he’s only 29. Healthy Zion is a potential MVP candidate. Herb Jones top wing defender in the league. Trey Murphy III can jump out the gym and shoot from anywhere. All four rookies are good but DQ & JF will be special. Yves Missi has made great progress in his 2nd year. Jordan Poole — fantastic combo guard. Saddiq Bey — ABSOLUTE UNIT and has been playing out his body.
We lost Grand Theft Jose Alvarado but we got 2 second round picks for him, not bad… though I think he was worth at least a first and a second. But I’m glad it’s the only move Joe Dumars made at the deadline because I think this team just needs time to really cook. To really build chemistry and identity as a team — because they’ve had pretty good health this season. If everyone keeps developing and the rookies develop into who theyre expected to… Pels will be in good shape. We have assets that we can use to tweak the roster if we need to, or get back in the first round or whatever they need.
They’ve been playing really good lately… little rough around the edges but that will come in time.
I have wanted raps to get Bey since forever.