Pelicans news: Derik Queen hilariously claps back at worried fan

New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen is looking to build on his impressive stint in his rookie year, which earned him a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.

Queen displayed his all-around acumen at such a young age, even drawing comparisons to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic . The 21-year-old pivot could see more opportunities in his sophomore season, as the Pelicans do not have many options for an interior presence.

A fan, however, was skeptical about Queen's possible ascent.

Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

"The player I'm most nervous about long-term is Derik Queen . It has ZERO to do with his skill set. Something just seems off. Don't know what it is," wrote the fan on X.

Queen, who has an easygoing personality, dropped a glorious response .

"Does it have to do with me being fat and slow?" asked Queen, quite sarcastically.

His response has gone viral, garnering 1.2 million views as of this writing.

After Queen's comment, the fan heaped praise on the talented center, calling him an "elite basketball player" and "beloved in the state of Maryland."

The Pelicans selected Queen with the No. 13 pick in last year's NBA Draft after a one-and-done stint at Maryland. He averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 81 games for New Orleans .

He recorded two triple-doubles, joining NBA legend Chris Paul as the only rookies in team history to register multiple triple-doubles.

Queen is slotted behind fellow center Yves Missi in the depth chart, but he has a clear path to take over in the starting unit if he continues his stellar play.