Though Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg has garnered most of the attention during the 2024-25 men's college basketball season, there has been another first-year big man who has led his team back to competitiveness and is making a case to be a Top 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. That player is Maryland's Derik Queen!
The Maryland-native has been dominant from the opening gate
In his first season at College Park, Derik Queen has helped guide the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team to a 25-8 record and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, leading the team in points and rebounds for the season while earning All-Big Ten first-team honors along with being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Derik Queen grew up in the Baltimore, Maryland area and played his first season of high school basketball at the local St. Frances Academy, leading the team to an appearance in the Baltimore Catholic League title game. Following the season, Queen would transfer to high school basketball powerhouse Monteverde Academy in Florida, where he was a teammate of Cooper Flagg's. When Queen's career had finished at Monteverde, he had averaged over 14 points along with 7 rebounds per game. Among other accolades, Queen would be named to the McDonald's All-American team, earning Co-MVP honors in the game.
As a 5-star recruit, Queen was one of the top players in the 2024 recruiting class, narrowing his final schools down to Indiana, Kansas, Houston, and Maryland before ultimately deciding to return to the state of Maryland to play for the Terrapins; a team that offered Queen a scholarship before he played his high school game.
Derik Queen's status as a 5-star recruit coming out of high school already made him a possible one-and-done candidate, but an all-conference performance this season in the Big Ten, all but guarantees that Queen will be playing in the NBA next season. Many mock drafts have Derik Queen locked in as a lottery pick with the potential to be the 2nd frontcourt player taken after Flagg.
Queen has a little more to prove before heading to the NBA
Even with all of the accolades and highlight reel dunks, Derik Queen might still have a little more to prove if he is going to solidify himself as a top draft prospect. There have been games where Derik Queen has been dominating on the basketball court, starting with his very first game at Maryland when he scored 22 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a victory over Manhattan or most recently when he scored 31 points in the heartbreaking Big Ten semifinal loss to Michigan.
Derik Queen wrapped up an impressive Big Ten tournament with a season-high 31 points in the semis, showing his polished skill-set and sharp instincts making plays defensively and hitting shots from all over the floor. pic.twitter.com/EhWaEQL6h4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 16, 2025
Then there are the other games where the dominant Derik Queen disappears, and the inexperience of a freshman is apparent. Queen followed up his 20/20 game against Manhattan with eight points and one rebound against Mount St. Mary's, four points and a rebound in the brutal loss at Washington and he didn't even make a field goal in a squeaker against Nebraska. Queen led the Terrapins in field goal percentage but shot under 30% when he was away from the basket including four made three-pointers on 28 attempts throughout the season.
Queen's inability to stay out of foul trouble has limited his contribution on the defensive side of the ball and, at times, completely eliminated Queen from crucial moments on the court. NBA front offices are going to want to see some growth in his game if they are going to spend a high draft pick on Queen.
March Madness will be Derik Queen's chance to shine
Luckily for Derik Queen, the NCAA tournament is the perfect place to prove any doubters wrong and show that he can handle the pressure that the NBA can throw at a player. The longer that he and Maryland can last in the NCAA tournament, the better for Queen's draft prospects. Queen and the Terrapins will be tested early as they face No. 13 seed and 3-time WAC tournament champion, Grand Canyon University.
If they survive the upset in the first round, then Maryland will face either a Penny Hardaway-coached Memphis squad or the Colorado State Rams and Nique Clifford, another first-round prospect. Everything is in place for Derik Queen to have an amazing NCAA tournament, but the question will be if he can deliver!
Derik Queen and the Maryland Terrapins take on Grand Canyon University at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, Friday, March 21st at 4:30PM EST.
The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 26th at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY.