2025 NBA Draft: Derik Queen Scouting Report
Evaluating the Maryland prospect ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
DRAFT EVALUATION: Top 5-13 pick
NBA ROLE: Frontcourt playmaking hub
REMINDS ME OF: Naz Reid, Alperen Şengün, Trendon Watford, playmaking Jahlil Okafor
Background:
Birthday: Dec. 27, 2004
Older for a freshman. Already 20 y/o and will be 21 around the start of his rookie season.
Height: 6-foot-10
Wingspan: 7-feet1
Weight: 246 pounds2
Transferred to Montverde Academy after his freshman year of high school (Saint Frances Academy, where Juju Reese also played). Played AAU ball for Team Thrill.
Was a McDonald's All-American and game co-MVP. Long list of accolades at the high school level.
Started playing basketball when he was 5-6 y/o. Mom is Lisa Anderson, who initially didn’t want Queen to move to Montverde by himself. Donnell "Mookie" Dobbins coached and trained Queen.
Takeaway:
Derik Queen is one of the most unique and captivating players in this draft. He’s a 6-9 or 6-10 playmaker who posts up, faces up, attacks off the bounce, pushes in transition, and creatively playmakes for others. The 20-year-old freshman has some questions concerning his below average lift and positional physical tools, and he’ll also need to cut down on turnovers, but he’s very productive and I think he’s a real winner.
Really, though, I think the biggest risk that comes with Queen is fitting him into your NBA roster — or, if you’re very high on him, building a roster around him that insulates his limitations. These come on defense, in particular, although he’s also high-usage on offense with a style of play that leads to risky decisions.
Queen is strictly a drop coverage big, I don’t find him effective coming in as a helper, and he’s going to give up blow-bys on switches in the NBA given his lack of footspeed and elasticity. However, the Maryland prospect’s quick hands and processing still make him a factor on this end, as he averages 2 stocks per game.
I can understand the hesitation over what Queen’s role or floor is if he doesn’t hit a high-end, build-around outcome (Şengün or someone like Domantas Sabonis), but I don’t think Queen’s floor is low. He can be a Naz Reid energizer piece off the bench, which is very valuable as a team’s sixth man. I can also see him fulfilling a Trendon Watford type of role for 15-20 minutes per game, although probably more as an inside scorer than as a ballhandler. Then, something like Jahlil Okafor with more passing/feel is what I consider a realistic very low outcome for Queen, and I think that’s still a useful player on a roster.
I evaluated Queen in person for the first time in July 2023 and a lot still holds true, which I think is a good sign:
“Derik Queen led Team Thrill to a Sportradar Showdown tournament win, also solidifying his standing as one of the best bigs in the 2024 high school class in the process. The Montverde prospect “made everything,” as one college coach put it, at the basket. Queen is an ambidextrous finisher who makes up for his lack of burst with his soft touch and patience. Unlike Flory Bidunga or Khaman Maluach, Queen isn’t really going to explode for a massive poster, but he can face-up and pull-up or even push the ball in transition. He’s more of a drop big on the defensive end — Queen had 6-foot-10 Luke Bamgboye stepping out in space instead of having to do it himself most of the time — but he’s effective with his size, instincts, and quick hands. Proving that he can guard out to the perimeter will be key, though.”
Offense:
Attacks out of face-ups and short drives. Usually keeps his moves within two dribbles. Uses his body to carve out space and access angles.
Lacks lift and twitch, but physical and coordinated with a crafty handle that creates advantages. His spots are the elbows, wings, and free throw line.
Finishing 69.8 FG% (118/169) of his shots at the rim. 1.40 points per shot. In the half-court, 63.9% (69/108).
Finishing 62.3% of his lay-ups (76/122) … 57.3% (51/89) in the half-court.
Draws fouls attacking bigs in space. 52.5 FTr.
Likes to drive right with two dribbles, then spin left.
Has the skill set to become a grab-and-go threat in the open court, which fits the modern NBA. Valuable for whichever frontcourt position he plays. Scores and passes.
Impactful rebounder on both ends with great hands. Important to start the break. Averages 9 REB (2.4o/6.7d) … 25.5 DREB%.
Very comfortable attacking off the catch. Like with face-ups, quick and physical making moves within 1-2 dribbles.
Ambidextrous. Comfortable driving and finishing with left hand.
Lacks lift in short spaces, but can get up and dunk if he has a runway and picks up momentum. 33/36 on dunks, with 18 in the half-court.
Tough for positional defenders to contain his handle and skill off the bounce when he attacks from the perimeter — or just in space, since he likes to drive from right inside the three-point line too.
Can receive the ball off movement or flash to the elbows/free throw line and go, rather than being parked on the perimeter where he's not a threat right now. Doesn't have to attack out of traditional spot-ups.
Intersection of athleticism, finishing, self-creation, high usage, and role diversity makes him a tricky fit despite diverse dribble/pass/finish tools. Needs the ball in his hands to be at his best, but not twitchy or fast, plus lacks the dimensions and vertical explosiveness of pure centers.
I see him as more of a 4, but I'm sure he'll play some at the 5 - and his limitations near the basket can be accentuated when met against real length and explosion. Lacks lift.
Can monopolize the ball while making risky decisions. 26.2 USG% is high.
Can he downscale? Does he need to? I had similar questions about Queen going from high school to college, but he’s translated fine. Still, can he be as productive in a less focal role?
Effectively a non-shooter at Maryland, but touch indicators are good. Overall, 9.1 3P% on 0.8 threes per game. Then, 1.6 threes per 100 possessions. Only 7.7% of total shots are threes. Doesn’t/won’t need to shoot threes, but would open up his off-catch game even more.
Most encouraging sign is 76.5 FT% on high volume (114/149 ... 5.5 FTA per game). Soft touch, and is a willing pull-up shooter from that distance. Seen this at times at Maryland - but I’ve also seen this in person before college.
50 2P% (6/12) on catch-and-shoot twos … 27.6% (8/29) on off-dribble twos … 30% (3/10) on early two-point jumpers…
Lacks range right now despite good touch. Keep in mind: NBA three-point line is deeper, plus contests and context get tougher.
11.1 3P% (2/18) on catch-and-shoots threes … 0/5 3P on off-dribble threes … 0/2 3P on early three-point jumpers…
Post-up threat. Combines pivots, fakes, and changes of direction while using his touch, size, and strength.
Gets low and explodes back up despite not being that big at 6-9 or 6-10. Definitely physical, although I think core strength and balance can get better vs. contact sometimes.
Displays signs of his touch and jumper. Likes an unorthodox, one-legged fadeaway that’s tough to contest at that angle and with his size.
Good court awareness from the post. Smart at recognizing doubles and spinning or handling away.
Athletic limitations come into play if his first 1-2 dribbles are contained. Doesn’t always find it easy against length, and NBA bigs are stronger+taller+longer+bouncier than college bigs. If he’s at the 4, then maybe he’s not directly against those 5s, but he has to read their help.
Can be effective in a more narrow role as a play finisher, although I’m against containing his creativity. Good hands, soft touch, and ability to make decisions on the roll give him a safe floor in the pick-and-roll.
Diverse offensive profile, but most possessions this season (18.8%3 of the time) have been as a Pick-and-Roll Roll Man. Scoring 42.1 FG% (24/57).
Deserves real credit for improving his shape and conditioning over the years. Can keep improving, but gets up and down the floor, racks up a lot of touches, and has been regularly playing 30-35 minutes recently.
Strong rebounder on both ends. 9.1 rebounds per game (2.4 OREB / 6.7 DREB … 9.8 OREB% … 25.5 DREB%).
Increased stamina comes into play here too, since he can make more efforts. Reliable hands are a factor, as well, and he can push in transition off misses.
Lacks bounce, but times his first jump really well. Can get tip dunks.
Contextually, usually plays in a two-big look alongside Juju Reese. Really great rebounding frontcourt - but worth keeping in mind for the space and system Queen operates in.
Creative and willing facilitator who processes the game quickly but needs to cut down on turnovers. Averaging 2.1 AST to 2.4 TOV (0.9 A/TO). High usage rate excuses this to an extent, but only so much.
Makes passes on the roll, posting up, and facing up. Effective playmaking from the same spots he scores.
Uses his size to see over the top of defenses. Moves the ball side-to-side with skip passes or north-to-south with outlet passes, forcing defenders to cover ground. But needs to be more careful with his accuracy.
Risky and high volume decision taker. Turnovers will almost always be a part of his game, but it’ll be about how they come. Right now, can pick spots better.
When driving, can do a better job reading the help. Handle can still get tighter, too - although not easy for a 6-10ish big. Spin left can also get predictable.
Defense:
Concerning defense in space. Athleticism limits him on defense more than on offense.
Lacks footspeed and bend. Finds it tough to get down in a stance and contain attackers. Doesn’t have the twitch to rapidly change directions.
Positional tools and athleticism are below average if he’s a center. 6-9 or 6-10 with a WS around 7-feet, plus little traditional vertical athleticism.
How do you insulate him? Going to give up blow-bys in space. Doesn’t block shots as a helper.
Again, Maryland usually has him in a two-big lineup next to Juju Reese.
In the pick-and-roll, strictly a drop coverage big. Has been the case at every level I’ve evaluated Queen at so far. Almost certainly will face a high diet of pick-and-rolls or ballscreen situations in the NBA.
Even then, has limitations with footspeed and verticality. Also probably can’t get out in time to contest threes if the screener pops. Better when directly involved than helping, though.
At his best when he has another big or shotblocker next to him. Luke Bamgboye at Team Thrill, Cooper Flagg at Montverde, Reese at Maryland…
Still, not a defensive non-factor. 1 STL and 1 BLK per game, and the tape shows that he can create events on this end (54 total stocks in 27 games) — even if he’s broadly a bigger liability than he is a plus.
3.5 BLK% … 26 blocks in 27 games…
2.0 STL% … 28 steals in 27 games…
Great, active hands. Reaction time and hand-to-eye coordination on both ends is great, but it’s what sort of keeps him afloat on defense.
Gets deflections and disrupts passes/catches. Instinctually knows where the ball is going to be. Reads the game one beat ahead of most players. Can be a factor in drop.
When he turns defense into offense, he can push in transition or toss outlet/hit-ahead passes.
Via SI’s Daniel Olinger: “Coming it at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan, according to a source with 2023 USA Basketball measurements…”
Height and weight via Maryland Terrapins
Per Synergy