The seventh overall pick out of Oklahoma has been building toward this all season. A dynamic scorer with a deep bag and elite burst, Fears has steadily grown into one of the most dangerous young guards in the league. On this night against Utah, he put it all together. Fears had already scorched the Jazz for 38 when he attacked the rim with 5:21 left in the fourth quarter. He sliced through the lane and converted a driving layup that pushed him to 40 points, shattering the Pelicans franchise rookie scoring record in the highest-scoring game in franchise history. He also became the youngest guard in NBA history to reach the 40-point mark, finishing 17-of-29 from the field in a 156-137 rout. · Apr 8, 2026