Maryland star big man Derik Queen is declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft after a standout freshman season, he announced Friday night. The 6-foot-10 center is a potential lottery pick this summer after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors for the Terrapins.
Queen is the latest member of Maryland’s “Crab Five” to depart the program after Kevin Willard left to take the vacant job at Villanova. Maryland star guards Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice entered the transfer portal last month, less than 24 hours after Willard accepted the job. Gillespie committed to Tennessee on Friday.
Maryland star forward Julian Reese and guard Selton Miguel are out of eligibility, and with Queen declaring for the NBA Draft, meaning no member of one of the highest-scoring starting lineups in the country won’t be returning to College Park next season.
Queen played an integral role in Maryland reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time in nearly a decade. Queen knocked down a game-winning jumper against Colorado State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to send his team to the second weekend of the Big Dance for the first time since 2016.
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Queen averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Queen finished the season with 15 double-doubles, which ranked near the top of the Big Ten.
Derik Queen’s NBA Draft projection
Queen ranks No. 19 in the 2025 CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings and went in the back end of the lottery range in recent CBS Sports mock drafts.
CBS Sports draft analyst Adam Finkelstein says Queen would be a “super intriguing frontcourt partner” for San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama.
“Queen would be a super intriguing frontcourt partner for Wemby,” Finkelstein wrote. “He could lighten his load with some real playmaking ability up front, while Wemby’s rim protection prowess could cover up for his defensive limitations. If the shooting ever comes for Queen, it would be an ideal pair and while his numbers on the season aren’t inspiring, there’s actually been some real growth in technique and fluidity.”
Impact on Maryland
With Queen and the entire “Crab Five” gone at Maryland, the next coach will need work magic in the transfer portal to field a competitive roster for the 2025-26 season. The Terrapins also don’t have an athletic director in place after Damon Evans left to take the same position at SMU. Queen will remembered as one of the best and most likable players in Maryland program history.
