It’s not a question of if Maryland freshman Derik Queen enters the 2025 NBA Draft, it’s the question of when he’s selected. Queen had turned a corner and is playing his best basketball of the season. The No. 25 Terrapins are toward the top of the Big Ten Conference and the former five-star center is a large reason.
Queen is leading Maryland averaging 15.9 points and he’s second on the team hauling in 8.6 rebounds. The Baltimore prospect is one of the best true freshmen in the country and NBA scouts are getting excited about Queen. In ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft, the big center is selected by the OKC Thunder with the 10th overall pick.
“Queen is one of the most skilled, versatile big men in college basketball, a huge mismatch in the post, facing the basket or as a pick-and-roll finisher with elite hands, footwork, body control, strength, passing ability and soft touch,” Givony wrote. “He has had some mesmerizing moments creating shots for himself and teammates, and he looks like one of this draft’s best offensive players at times. Queen took some lumps early in Big Ten play, as his apathy defensively, lack of shooting range and limited explosiveness have led to some uninspiring moments against lengthier opponents; his unorthodox profile probably isn’t a fit for every NBA team. Queen will have a strong platform with the No. 25-ranked Terrapins to show how his skills translate, which will help determine whether he’s a legitimate top-10 prospect or perhaps more of a mid-first-round player.”
The Thunder are one of the best teams in the NBA and if he would go there, OKC could develop him next to Chet Holmgren to build a potential elite front court.
