Derik Queen stole the spotlight in the first weekend of March Madness with a magical running, game-winning jumper to beat No. 12 Colorado State at the buzzer. This Terps program has experienced its share of NCAA Tournament heartbreak over the years, but something feels different about this squad. It starts with the freshman center.
A former teammate of Cooper Flagg and Asa Newell at Monteverde Academy, Queen has been on NBA radars for a while. Before the season, however, his reputation in draft circles was a bit divisive. Folks viewed him more as a throwback, bruising post scorer with severe defensive limitations and an outmoded skill set.
That narrative has since been completely flipped on its head. Queen has been earning 'Baby Jokic' comps, which is a completely unfair standard, but also proof of just how well he projects at the next level. The modern NBA is all about finding the intersection of positional size and skill. He is certainly an atypical athlete at 6-foot-10 and 246 pounds, but Queen's blend of skill, IQ, and creativity at the five spot is unmatched among his positional peers in this draft.
As the Terps press deeper into March, more scouts will come around on how special the 19-year-old is. More than a great player, he's a winning personality with the appropriate mix of self-confidence and team-first ethics.
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Derik Queen scouting report
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 246 pounds
Birthdate: Dec. 27, 2004
Position: Center
Offensive Role: Big man hub
Defensive Role: Paint anchor
Projected Draft Range: 5-15
Strengths
Queen is strong — literally — and presents several matchup issues in the frontcourt. He's not the fleetest of foot, but Queen is agile and coordinated on the perimeter. His ability to navigate tight spaces with his handle and create on drives to the basket is uncommon for a "true" center. He doesn't hit 3s at a high clip yet, but his touch around the basket indicates long-term upside as a shooter.
He's a legitimate playmaking fulcrum at the five spot. Queen possesses some of the best passing chops in the draft. The 19-year-old leads all prospects in "big time pass" percentage, per Ben Pfeifer, which he categorizes as passes showcasing "advanced feel, processing, skill, or vision." Queen's ability to collapse the defense as a slasher and read the floor at light speed hints at special offensive potential.
When he does embrace his more throwback elements, Queen can score with touch and strength in equal measure. He wins the majority of bully-ball mismatches in the post and has no trouble controlling the glass on both ends of the floor.
While not an elite defender, Queen should hold up better than folks realize at the next level. He offers quick hands and sharp instincts on the back line (1.9 steals, 1.1 blocks), constantly mucking up passing lanes and stonewalling opposing bigs in the paint.
Weaknesses
Queen needs to boost his 3-point effectiveness to unlock his NBA ceiling (19.4 percent on 0.9 attempts per game at Maryland). He's a deadly driver and a crafty face-up scorer, but defenses will comfortably pack the paint and let him shoot until he proves such a strategy insufficient.
Turnovers have also been a problem for Queen, averaging more (2.4) than his assists (1.9). The vision and confidence behind Queen's passes should negate any panic, but as with most 7-footers asked to shoulder a significant playmaking burden in a cramped college scheme, Queen has been prone to silly misfires or mistakes under pressure. He will need to prove that the full extent of his playmaking arsenal can and will translate to the next level, where better athletes lurk in passing lanes and more imposing rim deterrents await.
Defensively, it's fair to be concerned about Queen's lack of shot-blocking and lateral quickness. Is he a real anchor at the five spot, or does he need to share the floor with another rim protector? If so, does he offer the necessary versatility and athleticism to accommodate a variety of personnel groups? That remains to be seen. Queen is a smart, active defender, but the NBA will be a new test.
Best NBA fit No. 3: Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards possess the best overall odds to land Cooper Flagg on draft night, but the NBA lottery system is such that Washington could fall outside the top four, even with the No. 1 odds. So, if the Wizards do take a misfortunate tumble, Queen ought to be on their radar. It's possibly the most "fun" fit in terms of long-term upside.
It's easy to kick the Wizards while they're down, but this team is building something special — slowly but surely. Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George all look the part of future building blocks. They aced the 2024 draft. Meanwhile, Bilal Coulibaly has All-Defense potential, while other up-and-comers like Corey Kispert and A.J. Johnson are worth investing stock into.
Washington has the personnel to play a free and easy brand of basketball. In terms of optimal frontcourt partners for Queen, few stand out more than Sarr. He's a slim, rangy, athletic rim protector with the quickness to defend on the perimeter. Sarr lacks physicality, which Queen can make up for. Offensively, both Washington bigs would have some semblance of shooting, ball-handling, and passing ability. Queen is a far more polished creator, but that just makes life easier on Sarr. There are funky possibilities here.
Best NBA fit No. 2: Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets continue to tread water at the bottom of the NBA standings, which has led to uncertainty around the future of presumptive franchise cornerstone LaMelo Ball. Something's got to give eventually. Either Charlotte figures things out and starts winning games, or the Hornets hit the reset button and try from scratch.
Either way, Queen is a logical fit. He projects as a potential offensive focal point, but he's also a solid complement to LaMelo. It may feel more traditional to put a hulking lob threat at the five spot next to Ball — see: Mark Williams — but Queen can set wide screens, playmake on the short roll, and finish efficiently on dump-offs around the basket. He should also be able to pick and pop for 3s, get downhill off the catch, and give Charlotte's offense an element of rim pressure it currently lacks.
The Hornets aren't necessarily built to accentuate Queen's strengths or mask his weaknesses on defense, but his high basketball IQ and sharp playmaking acumen is what Charlotte needs in a hypothetical LaMelo Ball co-star. With Brandon Miller on the mend and guys like Josh Green and Nick Smith Jr. on the come-up, Queen could be the missing piece that finally starts the Hornets on the right path.
Best NBA fit No. 1: Oklahoma City Thunder
Queen is projected to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 7 pick in FanSided's most recent mock draft. It's a dream setup for all involved. Queen would join the best team in basketball with a chance to contribute to a contender straight away. He's basically an elevated version of what OKC gets from Jaylin Williams in the backup five spot, with a path to one day start next to Chet Holmgren full-time in the frontcourt.
OKC's offense is built around the confluence of skill at all five positions. Just about everyone can pass, dribble, and shoot to some extent. The Thunder's offense is predicated on aggressive, decisive slashing and a constant flow of ball movement. At least when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't sizing up his prey in isolation. Queen fits the mold perfectly. He gets downhill, reads the floor quickly, and should be comfortable oscillating between playmaking reps at the elbow and spot-up reps when OKC's guards take over.
It's fair to wonder how much Queen plays out of the gate on basketball's deepest team, but OKC has never been afraid to lean on its youth, even when winning is the top priority. Isaiah Hartenstein serves as a slight barrier early in Queen's career, but as OKC looks to find the perfect complement to Holmgren's rangy rim protection and 3-point shooting in the long run, Queen stands out as an ideal target.