Derik Queen is the next March Madness star to join the most-liked player in the tournament list. Not only did he stun Colorado State in the second round with a buzzer beater to keep Maryland’s season alive, but he had a raw reaction after the game.
March Madness hadn’t quite delivered that buzzer beater we all look forward to this time of the year, but Queen delivered. Despite being one of the top players in the Class of 2024 last year on a loaded Montverde team, Queen stayed in his home state for moments like this.
to the Head Coach: “What play did you call?”
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 24, 2025
“I said ‘who wants the ball’ and he said ‘Give me the MFIN ball”
to Derik Queen: “Where does that confidence come from?”
“I’m from Baltimore,” pic.twitter.com/JArPwRvkKp
After his season-saving shot, the coach said Queen demanded the ball on the final play. Why was Queen so confident in himself to make the play? “I’m from Baltimore," he said after the game.
And just like that, we have our March Madness team to cling to for the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
Derik Queen’s NBA Draft stock could rise after clutch shot to save Maryland’s season
Queen is a projected top-five pick in June’s NBA Draft, per NBA.com. It’s very likely he cracks the top 3 if he continues to lead Maryland on a tournament run. Every player ahead of him is now knocked out of the NCAA Tournament, save for Cooper Flagg, his former teammate at Montverde.
Per NBA.com’s latest mock draft, Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe is expected to be the No. 3 overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets. It’s not irrational to think he jumps up to No. 3 if the Hornets can successfully trade Mark Williams.
Charlotte would obviously have a glaring need in the frontcourt and Queen is proving he just might be worth the pick. It’s a hard sell for him to end up No. 1 overall, but depending on how the lottery falls and team needs, he could end up in the top 3.
Not only is he skilled enough, but he has that mindset of a player ready to turn a struggling franchise around. When the coach asked around for who wants the ball in the final moment, Queen didn’t hesitate.
He doesn’t just want to be the best player on the court, he wants to take the most important shots. Sunday he proved he can hit them too. This was part of the reason it was unfortunate for the Rutgers duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper to miss the NCAA Tournament.
Players like Queen can end up jumping Bailey and Harper in the draft order simply because he performed on the biggest stage of college basketball.