How Antonio Reeves fits in with the New Orleans Pelicans

From an unranked recruit out of high school to being selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Antonio Reeves didn’t take the “traditional” route to begin his basketball career — not traditional by Kentucky’s standards, at least. The 6-foot-5 guard improved and developed his game throughout all five seasons in college — three at Illinois State and the final two in Lexington. Reeves averaged 7.2 points per game as a freshman in 2019-20 and topped off his college career by making multiple All-American Teams in 2023-24.

When you think of success stories in college basketball, he’s an excellent example. But how will the 23-year-old’s game transition to the professional ranks? The New Orleans Pelicans traded with the Orlando Magic to secure Reeves’ draft rights the moment before picking him on Thursday night. NOLA’s front office clearly saw something that they liked in the Chicago native. There aren’t many prospects in this draft who can shoot the ball better than Reeves, either: 51.2 percent overall, 55.7 percent on two-pointers, 44.7 percent on three-pointers, and 53.1 percent on floaters in 2023-24 for the Wildcats.

How Reeves fits in New Orleans will look a bit different than a pair of his former teammates who went in the Top 10. Reed Sheppard (No. 3; Rockets) and Rob Dillingham (No. 8; Timberwolves) are going to situations where their skills are clearly needed. The Rockets needed a shooter in the backcourt while the Timberwolves needed another ball handler. Sheppard and Dillingham will be put in positions to succeed right away with plenty of playing time coming their way.

For Reeves, his situation is different as a mid-round second pick, but when you take a look at the Pelicans roster and where the franchise is headed, it becomes a bit more clear why the front office targeted him. There are only nine players fully locked into contracts for the 2024-25 campaign on a team looking to make a deep postseason run this coming season. Some scoring depth is needed.

"They might be getting the best shooter in this draft. He made 45% of his 3's this year. He's A first team all-SEC player… He's not just a shooter. He carried Kentucky for long stretches… I like this pick for New Orleans"

— Jonathan Givony on Antonio Reeves pic.twitter.com/yr6W5thuIZ

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) June 27, 2024

New Orleans is headlined by Zion Williamson, the oft-injured All-Star who is on the books through the 2027-28 season. His side-kick, Brandon Ingram, is being rumored as a possible trade chip this offseason while shooting CJ McCollum — number three in the pecking order — is entering the back end of his prime with two more years left on his deal.

Fans and media members have mentioned that New Orleans drafted a similar player during last year’s draft in Jordan Hawkins. Dyson Daniels and Jose Alvarado also make up the backcourt off the pine — what does Reeves coming into the fold mean for their future, if anything? But mainly, the Pelicans needed another bench scorer regardless of everything else just mentioned. And Reeves is really good at putting the ball in the hole.

“Could you pair up this guy with Jordan Hawkins and have two shooters around Zion Williamson?” Justin Napoli (@ProPelsTalk), who covers the Pelicans for Boot Krewe Media, said of adding Reeves. “There’s a lot of potential here. I didn’t think (the Pelicans) would make a move into day two. I know they talked about it. But I really like this pick.”

On the second unit with the Pelicans, someone who can go get their own shot, I don’t really hate that,” Jake Madison of LockedOnPelicans added. “But he does work well off-ball, too… He can relocate really well, he cuts really well too, so you can see him out there on the court alongside Zion Williamson and some of these other players as someone who is going to be moving around, looking to cut to get into the lane, getting a pass from Zion and score that way.”

It’s likely that Reeves will begin his NBA career in the G League for the Pelicans’ affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, and he could possibly start out on a two-way contract. How soon will the franchise give him an opportunity with the big boys? New Orleans took Hawkins in the lottery last year and played him just 17.3 minutes per game as a rookie — 11th-most among rotation pieces.

But the opportunity will come eventually for Reeves. Playing next to Williamson with the second unit will allow him plenty of clean looks from deep, especially as a perennial catch-and-shoot artist. Reeves’ floater game — a shot that is becoming more and more valuable in the NBA — was among the best Kentucky fans ever saw under the John Calipari regime.

He’s not out there to play defense; he’s out there to get buckets. And that’s exactly what the Pelicans will hope he can bring to the table.