[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2025 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Derik Queen
Frame: 6’10”, 246 lbs
Position: Center
School: Maryland Terrapins
2025 Draft Age: 20
Stats via sports-reference.com

Offense

Queen may be one of the more intriguing big-man prospects in recent years. He combines a strong frame that can carve out space in the post with exceptional footwork and a high basketball IQ. His skill to pass out of the post if a double team or facilitate offense from the high post highlights his abilities as a secondary playmaker. Queen also has excellent hands on the catch, and he can corral errant passes at a high level. His soft touch, with either hand, around the rim makes him a scoring threat as soon as he receives the ball.

As a skilled big man, Queen finds open teammates and facilitates the offense if he can’t score himself. He can create his own shot from the high or low post; his polished footwork and frame allow him to create space and go up strong at the rim.

Connecting on almost 55 percent of his shot attempts from the field, Queen picks and chooses his spots well and recognizes high-quality shots. His diet of short hooks, floaters and mid-range shots also shows he’s a scoring threat with growth potential.

Defense

On the defensive side of the ball, Queen is the anchor teams crave. He communicates to his teammates about action coming their way, his quick hands can disrupt passing lanes and dislodge a ball if another big brings it down too low, and he just has that infectious energy you want as a teammate. Queen can also be a focal point on defense, even though his athleticism is not elite, and he’s not a traditional rim protector. Queen uses his body well and controls his pace as a steadying defensive force on the court.

Queen’s foot speed against quicker players must improve, especially when caught in transition. He also lacks that vertical explosiveness, so he’s not in the mold of that traditional rim-protecting type of bi,g but his IQ makes up for some of that in disrupting offensive sets. Getting his weight right and sculpting his body may help throughout his career.

Looking Ahead

Queen could get drafted late in the lottery or dip to the early second round. His current range is expansive. After securing a national championship with Montverde Academy, he’s showcased even more of his skills at the college level. His high school squad was loaded, and now he’s doing more at Maryland to carry both the offensive and defensive load. His improvement in conditioning also helped his game, as he is a bit lighter on his feet, and that mobility has paid dividends.

Showing consistency in his long-range shooting and improving his foot speed on switches could help his case for a first-round selection. Queen may never be a standout rim protector, but his defensive skills and understanding of schemes show he has the tools to be impactful in other ways on that side of the ball by being a disruptor. His aggressive rebounding and general mentality of taking on the role of the player who will do all of the dirty work and the little things to help his team win has made Queen a player to keep an eye on.