We bet the Rockets still remember his performance. On December 18, while the Texans are heading towards a quiet victory on the Pelicans floor, the latter will turn the tide. With Saddiq Beyauthor of 21 of his 29 points after the break, as the main actor.
« Saddiq is my guy. He’s my twin. People don’t necessarily know that. I really like the way he plays basketball. He has a huge impact for this team. Some nights the stats show it, other times less so, but it’s essential for us “, says Zion Williamson, who loves seeing his teammate “ physically dominate » as he did that evening.
Thus Kevin Durant was pushed more than once by the muscular winger of the Pelicans, among the most prolific players in the league when it comes to scoring in the post.
« What I like the most is when he posts someone and drives them to the basket. But he has a very versatile game: he can make 3-point shots in stepback, in catch-and-shoot… As I said, he is a key element of this team », Describes his teammate.
His 29-point outing – his best this season – didn’t come as much of a surprise to his other playing partners. After all, the former Pistons and Hawks player “ once scored 50 points in the NBA », as Jose Alvarado recalls. 51 points precisely, one evening in March 2022 when he was still playing in Detroit.
The big transfer winner
« He is made for these moments, he does not escape them », remarks their coach James Borrego, describing his recruit “ incredible » since the beginning of the year. It must be said that the 26-year-old player, while Zion Williamson is currently coming off the bench, has established himself as an indisputable starter for the Pelicans with his 14.7 points (44.5% including 31.4% from distance), 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on average.
A production up to the career averages of a player who is coming out of a blank season due to a ruptured cruciate ligament. And who, after a promising start in the Great League, was somewhat forgotten. His transfer at the start of last summer, with Jordan Poole – who is in a crisis of skill and production (16 points at 36.5%) – against CJ McCollum in particular, changed everything.
« The fact of still being wanted at that time, after not having played for a year and a half, touched me a lot. New Orleans showed they still believed in me, and that meant everything to me “, don’t forget Saddiq Bey, now spared from injuries (he has only missed one match so far).
« I always believed in myself. I didn’t know what it was going to look like. I just hoped and prayed that I could get back into enough rhythm to show everyone what I could do. But I still have a way to go », the winger cautiously finishes.
| Saddiq Bey | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | THE | 70 | 27:16 | 40.4 | 38.0 | 84.4 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 12.2 |
| 2021-22 | THE | 82 | 32:59 | 39.6 | 34.6 | 82.7 | 1.3 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 16.1 |
| 2022-23 | ATL | 25 | 25:10 | 47.0 | 40.0 | 86.2 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 11.6 |
| 2022-23 | THE | 52 | 28:51 | 40.4 | 34.5 | 86.1 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 14.8 |
| 2023-24 | ATL | 63 | 32:44 | 41.6 | 31.6 | 83.7 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 13.7 |
| 2025-26 | NO | 32 | 29:34 | 44.5 | 31.4 | 80.2 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 5.9 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 14.7 |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
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