You have to say Derik Queen, the most important player this season in college basketball. His impeccable performance wouldn’t go overlooked, as he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The 6-foot-9 forward showed off great all around skills during his time at the University of Maryland. His performance received rave reviews, offering a glimpse to his potential as a playmaking big man.
Queen’s dominance all season long should not be undersold. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and made the All-Big Ten tournament team. His offensive contributions were essential to the team. He averaged 16 points, nine rebounds, one steal, and one block per game during that timeframe. As a result, he had the honor of being the only offensive lineman to make the illustrious Big Ten All-Freshman team. This award catapulted him into can’t-miss prospect territory.
Beyond the numbers, though, Queen was truly a one-of-a-kind player. It’s this unique perspective that has left many to compare him to some of the all-time greats. He was able to let us see his “silky bruiser” style with the academics. Consequently, he topped the Terrapins in scoring and rebounding averages per game. It’s his ability to read the game that is extraordinary. He always looks to distribute while keeping his head up the whole time, locating open teammates through chiseled vision.
There are some things that Queen hopes to do better. Despite being one of the better scorers and rebounders in the league, he only tallied two assists per game last year. As one observer told me, he will have to improve his overall ballhandling and become more accurate with his passing. On the flip side, becoming a more confident and dangerous option on the perimeter would serve to raise his overall game exponentially.
Queen’s postseason performance further highlighted his capabilities. Most recently, he had a phenomenal performance in the Big Ten tournament semifinals in which he dropped 31 points on Michigan. Beyond his scoring prowess, this performance offered a glimpse into his future development in clutch situations.
Queen’s NCAA tournament run culminated in him knocking down a game-winning buzzer-beater against Colorado State. What a sensational moment this was, coming during the second round of the NCAA men’s tournament over the weekend. This clutch moment highlighted his composure in tense situations and cemented his place as one of college basketball’s biggest stars on the rise.
Corey Brewer, a former NBA player and current coach, commented on Queen’s potential:
“You see flashes of how good he’s going to be.”
Queen himself is aware of what he needs to work on as he transitions to a higher level of competition. He stated:
“So it’s just basically me implementing all the defensive sets I’ve been learning throughout the years of basketball that I’ve been playing and just knowing where everybody should be and then just making passes.”
With one chapter of basketball behind him, Derik Queen is getting ready for the next. Fans and insiders are ready to see his road first hand. His unique skill set and determination to improve position him well for future success in both college and professional basketball.
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