The 2026 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching, and the New Orleans Pelicans have a second-round pick. While the 58th overall pick in the draft isn’t going to excite fans like that rumored first-round pick the Pelicans have been trying to trade for, it can still be used to draft a quality prospect. If the Pelicans draft DJ Armstrong Jr. from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, they will be getting a sharpshooting guard to add to their bench.
We know the Pelicans are interested in Armstrong because they invited him in for a private workout.
Armstrong checks several boxes for a Pelicans team that needs talent wherever they can find it. Despite his skills, Armstrong may not be drafted and could end up being signed as an undrafted free agent.
However, I feel strongly enough about Armstrong as a prospect that I feel the Pelicans should grab Armstrong with their 58th overall selection.
Armstrong is a great three-point shooter
The skill that stands out the most for Armstrong is his three-point shooting. Strangely, if you look at the more than a dozen prospects the Pelicans worked out, only a couple are above-average three-point shooters. Considering the Pelicans are short on shooters, it’s confusing that they aren’t targeting more prospects with this skill.
Armstrong shot nearly 42% from three-point range on 6.5 shots per game in his senior season. He also shot just over 91% from the free-throw line. There is no doubt he can shoot.
There is a reason Armstrong is unranked in many mock drafts. He is undersized for the shooting guard position at 6-foot-4, and he is a 23-year-old senior.
There have been numerous guards stuck between the point guard and shooting guard positions. While it certainly hinders them, it doesn’t disqualify them from becoming a solid contributor or even a very good player.
One player who comes to mind is former Pelican CJ McCollum. He is just 6-foot-3 but is a lights-out shooter. He has made a career out of his three-point shooting.
I’m not saying Armstrong is anywhere close to being McCollum, but I do think he can carve out a career behind his shooting. He could become a three-point specialist off the bench for the Pelicans.
Armstrong has something else going for him. He went to UMBC in the DMV area, a known location that Pelicans Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Troy Weaver is fond of. He drafted Derik Queen from the University of Maryland last year.
If the Pelicans were to draft Armstrong, he would likely battle for a bench spot. Being that he is a 23-year-old senior, he shouldn’t need as much developmental time as other prospects. He could potentially win playing time right away.
If the Pelicans do draft Armstrong with their second-round pick or sign him as an undrafted free agent, Armstrong would give the Pelicans another sharpshooter that the team badly needs.
