Maryland basketball landed its biggest commitment of the Kevin Willard era after five-star Derik Queen went public with his pledge on Wednesday evening, marking the program’s first five-star pledge since Baltimore native Jalen Smith joined the fold six years ago. But that was under the previous staff, and heading into the end of Kevin Willard’s second season, Wednesday evening’s commitment secures a big piece for the future of Maryland basketball. The Baltimore native gives Maryland an impact piece and expected starter for the 2024-25 season as head coach Kevin Willard inches closer to a pivotal offseason tasked with rebuilding the roster, but Queen’s commitment gives him the next big piece to work with.
Maryland is currently expected to return Julian Reese for his senior season while Mady Traore, Caelum Swanton-Rodger and Braden Pierce remain on the roster, but Queen gives the frontcourt an immediate boost which is emphasized on the offensive end.
On the court, Queen was able to showcase his efficiency inside the arc on the EYBL circuit where he averaged 17.1 points on 61% shooting from the field, along with 87% on free-throws. The five-star also averaged 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists as he showcased himself among the nation’s best heading into his senior season. With Montverde, Queen is averaging nearly 17 points and eight rebounds per game as a senior.
Queen’s biggest strengths are his vision, handle and touch around the rim but his passing ability is what sets him aside as one of the most versatile bigs in the 2024 class. Queen has had to compete against longer and more athletic big men, but he turns back to his efficiency in the paint as Queen consistently showcases his soft touch around the rim through his high school career, proving himself as an efficient player around the rim. Prior to his transfer to Montverde, Queen was able to showcase another element to his game with his mid-range and perimeter shooting being been well-documented during his time at St. Frances.
In the lone season where both Julian Reese and Derik Queen played together at St. Frances, the then-freshman big man was able to showcase his soft touch and smooth stroke from outside while Julian Reese was able to lean on his overpowered size and strength to clean up inside. With Queen able to extend the court as a freshman, the big man duo worked well in the high-low game to provide adequate floor spacing. Queen’s ability to knock down the mid-range, while proving to be efficient around the rim, gives credence to the Terps’ ability for both Queen and Reese to thrive in College Park next fall. Queen’s smooth stroke made him an inside-out threat as a freshman, but over the last two seasons, he’s shied away from shooting outside the paint with his footwork and IQ making him the consistent threat inside as a senior. Don’t sleep on Queen in transition as the big man has flashed his court vision to create offense on the go, evidenced by his two assists per game this season.
MORE INFO: Here’s a look at what the Terps are getting in 5⭐️ Derik Queen via @LeagueRDY pic.twitter.com/GR9mqlkUAp
— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) February 21, 2024
The big question now is clear – how does that fit for Maryland, and does Queen’s lack of current outside shooting threat provide redundancy in the frontcourt?
Adding the perimeter threat component back to Queen’s game gives him a chance to thrive off high pick-and-rolls with Queen fading for a midrange while Julian Reese mans the post. At Montverde, Queen has been able to showcase himself as a traditional back-to-basket forward alongside Duke pledge Cooper Flagg where he leans on his superior footwork to maneuver inside. He’ll have a chance to do that in College Park next season, but refining his outside shot adds to the Terps’ versatility on offensive. Conditioning is a continued focus for Queen, and given Kevin Willard’s defensive style, that will be an emphasis for the five-star heading into his first season with the program.
While Willard and the staff will work on making Reese and Queen complementary pieces in the frontcourt, the staff will be tasked with filling its next hole on the roster with Jahmir Young’s eligibility exhausted at the end of the 2023-24 season. Between Young and Donta Scott departing at the end of the season, Maryland will have to replace over 45% of its scoring production, but Queen gives the Terps its first big piece heading into this offseason’s roster rebuild. All eyes now turn to former Virginia Tech guard Rodney Rice with the portal still under one month away from opening.
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