Queen is a projected top-10 pick.
After one of the best freshman seasons in program history, Maryland men’s basketball center Derik Queen declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, he announced on “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” Friday night.
Maryland’s Derik Queen announces he will enter the 2025 NBA draft
Queen is the is the No. 10 prospect in ESPN’s NBA draft projections.
(via @notthefakeSVP) pic.twitter.com/Xy5fuuK4ZZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 5, 2025
Queen led the Terps with 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season en route to an All-Big Ten first-team selection by the conference’s coaches. He was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
A Baltimore native, Queen committed to the Terps with high expectations as the No. 8-ranked player in the class of 2024, according to ESPN, and has lived up to the hype. He scored a season-high 31 points against Michigan and posted 15 double-doubles, but the most memorable moment of the year came on Queen’s iconic buzzer-beating shot to send the Terps to the Sweet 16.
Derik Queen saves Maryland’s season. pic.twitter.com/jtK9c1RajV
— Colin McNamara (@Colinmcnamara05) March 24, 2025
Queen’s passing ability and feel for the game has been particularly intriguing for scouts, as he has often been nicknamed “Baby Jokić,” referring to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. Former head coach Kevin Willard even said Queen would be the first overall pick if he was European. He averaged 1.9 assists per game.
But his physical limitations have kept him out of the top three in most mock drafts, as he is not a bruiser in the paint or a high-flying athlete. While Queen displayed flashes of a 3-point jump shot, his 20% season average from deep raises questions.
Still, multiple recent mock drafts predicted the Brooklyn Nets to select Queen at the fifth or sixth overall picks.
With Queen’s decision, Chance Stephens is the only Terp currently on the roster from this year’s team.