A long, exhausting recruiting battle that took several twists and turns finally came to an end Wednesday. Maryland men’s basketball got the guy at the top of its recruiting boards for years — Derik Queen is a Terp.
Queen, the No. 12 recruit in the Class of 2024 according to 247Sports, told ESPN of his plans shortly before announcing his commitment to Maryland with a social media post featuring a graphic that read, “I’m coming home.”
A Baltimore native, Queen spent his first two high school seasons at St. Frances Academy, where he played alongside Julian Reese and Jahnathan Lamothe before finishing at powerhouse Montverde Academy (Fla.). Queen played AAU for Team Thrill, a Baltimore-based Under Armour circuit and one of the premier programs in the area.
The McDonald’s All-American represents Kevin Willard’s first five-star commit and the second-highest ranked commit in program history behind only Diamond Stone.
Queen had a four-word message to fans in College Park following the announcement of his plans.
“Make Maryland great again,” he told Joe Tipton of On3 Sports.
Maryland beat out the likes of Indiana, Houston and Kansas to snag the 6-foot-10, 240-pound big man. The Terps became Queen’s first offer all the way back in October 2020 — over a year before Mark Turgeon’s departure. Associate head coach David Cox took on the lead role in Queen’s recruitment after former assistant Tony Skinn left for a head coaching job at George Mason last offseason.
Queen’s commitment could not have come at a better time for the Terps, who are in the home stretch of a disappointing second season under Willard, and previously had just one commit in the 2024 class — three-star guard Malachi Palmer. With virtually every other top recruit already committed, it was Queen or bust for Maryland in this year’s high school graduating class.
With Maryland likely needing a miracle run to a Big Ten Tournament title to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, much of the attention around the Terps will shift to the 2024-25 season.
Queen fills the last of two scholarship spots that will be vacated by fifth-year players Jahmir Young and Donta Scott, who have no remaining eligibility. More spots should open up with players departing for the transfer portal.
Young and Scott are the leaders in made 3-pointers on a team that has been horrific from beyond the arc, shooting under 29 percent on the season. A lead guard who can handle the bulk of ball-handling duties and shooters on the wings figure to be top priorities for Willard and his staff this offseason as they look to revamp their roster.
If Reese returns for a senior season, Queen would likely slot in next to him in the starting frontcourt. The pair already have established chemistry from their time together at St. Frances, but concerns will arise about their fit. The modern game emphasizes spacing and has largely moved away from letting two traditional big men share the floor.
But Queen brings a different skillset than Reese. While Reese is a more explosive athlete whose length makes him a force around the rim on both ends, Queen brings a more refined offensive game without the level of physical ability Reese possesses. The Montverde product has been praised for his unusual ball-handling and passing ability at his size.
“As he’s gotten older, he’s evolved into more of a mismatch big, who could use his face-up skills — specifically as a handler and passer — to make plays and facilitate from different spots on the floor,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote. “He can play off the elbows, operate in dribble hand-off action, make decisions off short rolls, take the ball off the glass to start the break, and has the potential to play in numerous types of offensive actions.”
A big determining factor in Queen’s fit alongside Reese will be his ability to stretch the floor, with the latter not posing a threat from the perimeter. Queen showcased an outside jumper early in his high school career, but has been plagued by unorthodox release points as he’s added size, according to Finkelstein.
Maryland will have to answer those questions as the offseason looms. For now, getting Queen on board represents another local recruiting win for Willard, who has now picked up five commits from the greater DMV area across his first two recruiting cycles.
The big domino fell. More will need to follow for Willard to bring Maryland back to an elite program.
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