Derik Queen

Queen began his high school career in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, attending Saint Frances Academy. During a freshman season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a berth in the Baltimore Catholic League title game. His campaign was highlighted by a 56-point scoring performance against Annapolis Area Christian School on March 12, 2021. For his performance, Queen was named the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year after averaging 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks per game.

Following his freshman season, Queen transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. After playing in a reserve role on Montverde's 2022 national championship squad alongside teammate Cooper Flagg, he took on expanded responsibilities as an upperclassman. As a junior, he averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the floor, earning MaxPreps Junior All-American honorable mention honors. Outside of high school play, he led his AAU team, Team Thrill, to an Under Armour Association 17U spring championship in 2023.

During his senior year in the 2023-24 season, Queen led Montverde to an undefeated 33-0 record and the Chipotle National Championship. He led the Eagles in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Following the season, he participated in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game, earning Co-MVP honors after compiling 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks.

Ranked as a consensus five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, Queen committed to the University of Maryland on February 21, 2024, choosing his home-state program over finalists Indiana, Kansas, and Houston. He made an immediate impact in his college debut on November 4, 2024, posting 22 points and 20 rebounds against Manhattan. This performance made him only the second player in Division I men's basketball since the 1996-97 season to record a 20-20 stat line in his freshman debut, as well as the first Maryland player to achieve the feat since Joe Smith in 1995.

Queen started all 36 games for Maryland during the 2024-25 season, leading the team with 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors five times and collected 15 double-doubles across the season. In the 2025 Big Ten Tournament semifinal, he scored 31 points against Michigan, the highest single-game scoring output by a Maryland freshman in the tournament's history.

In the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Queen made a buzzer-beating fadeaway jump shot against Colorado State to secure a 72-71 victory, sending Maryland to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016. He concluded his freshman season with Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, and an Associated Press All-America honorable mention.

Queen entered the 2025 NBA draft and was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks. On draft night, his rights were traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Asa Newell and a future first-round draft pick. He officially signed his rookie contract with the Pelicans on July 5, 2025. Although a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist suffered during the NBA Summer League required surgery and sidelined him for several months, he made his regular season debut in the autumn of 2025.

During his rookie campaign with New Orleans, Queen established several milestones. On November 20, 2025, he scored 30 points along with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Denver Nuggets. Shortly after, on December 8, 2025, he recorded a triple-double against the San Antonio Spurs with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and four blocks, becoming the first rookie center in NBA history to post a 30-point triple-double.

Queen capped his debut professional year with a 30-point, 22-rebound display against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 13, 2026. He appeared in 81 games during the 2025-26 season, averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.