The top uncommitted prospect in the 2024 class came off the board on Wednesday, when five-star center Derik Queen finally put his recruitment to bed and chose Maryland. The Old Line State-born Queen picked the Terrapins over finalists Indiana, Kansas and Houston and became the program’s highest-rated signee since top-10 prospect Diamond Stone in 2015 in the process.
Below, Rivals explores what head coach Kevin Willard and his staff are getting in Queen, who is currently ranked the No. 15 player in the 2024 class as well as what it means for the future.
WHAT MARYLAND IS GETTING
An absolute force in the paint, Queen is more than just a bruiser. The 6-foot-10 queen has some of the most reliable hands of any big man in the country and a remarkable touch around the rim. He’s done major and noticeable work when it comes to reshaping his body over the last year and has become a more explosive and athletic prospect because of it. The 240-pound center retains the ability to play above the rim and contort his massive frame in a way that helps him impact games on the glass, creating extra possessions and racking up double-doubles. He’s an incredibly gifted passer out of the post as well. Queen isn’t a particularly reliable long-range shooter but he’s capable of knocking down an open look or two if left alone. He’s become a better rim protector as he’s reshaped his body but isn’t quite elite on that front just yet. His offensive game will take the next step as he becomes a more confident shooter outside of 12 feet. The years he’s spent at national power Montverde Academy seem to have helped him from both a conditioning and motor standpoint, as Queen is familiar with the effort it takes to compete at a truly high level day in and day out, both in practice and against a national schedule filled with high-level matchups.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE TERRAPIN
There’s no such thing as a true must-win recruiting battle, but losing out on high-level Maryland native such as Queen would have stung head coach Kevin Willard and company to say the very least. The Terrapins pumped a tremendous amount of time and resources into winning this battle and were able to hold off pushes from Indiana, Houston and Kansas because of it. The work Willard did here should be commended, as it proves he and Maryland are willing to do what it takes to recruit an elite level in the modern recruiting landscape. Landing Queen is important not just for his skill set but more so because of the message losing him would have sent.
COACHES CORNER:
“Derik is a very unique player, his combination of size, skill, and IQ separate him from most players at his position. He can be a bully, He can play finesse. He can pick you a part with passing. – Team Thrill program director Donnell “Mookie” Dobbins, who coaches Thrill on the summer circuit.
