As the NBA draft inches closer, and even though the Chicago Bulls missed out on the potential to draft Cooper Flagg via a coin flip that didn’t go their way, the value level at No. 12 at the end of the lottery will still have an overwhelming number of franchise-changing players. 

One of the players who has risen on the boards in the last three months is Maryland center Derik Queen. A true freshman from Baltimore, Queen was ESPN’s No. 8 overall recruit who played at Montverde Academy and committed to play for the University of Maryland. 

It’s still too early to make bold predictions on the Bulls’ 2025 first-round pick. Queen and several other big men in the draft may be on the board at No. 12, a serious positional need for Chicago. 

Queen doesn’t provide nearly as much defensive stability as guys like Asa Newell, or Collin Murray-Boyles, but with a strong offensive game, he could develop to be the better two-way players years from now.

From the start, Queen played to his potential. At 6-foot-10, he debuted for the Terrapins and scored 22 points, grabbing 20 boards and shooting 56% from the field. Those numbers continued for the then-19-year-old. He finished the months of November and December with 16.8 points per game, 8-7 rebounds, and shooting 59% from the field. 

As his freshman season played on, Queen continued to show his dominance and versatile creative play style. He finished his freshman season with 30 games scoring double figures and 11 games of 20 or more points. Queen had a career with 31 points on March 15 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal in an 81-80 loss to Michigan, but in March, Queen put everyone on notice. 

From March 1 through Maryland’s final game on March 27, Queen averaged 19.5 points per game, had 8.3 rebounds, and shot 49% from the field. During this stretch, Queen outperformed his average numbers. He showed his ability to play in the half-court, putting his passing ability on display, along with his variety of shot-making from the three-ball, around the rim and mid-range

Queen got into better shape throughout his freshman season, playing 25 games of 30-plus minutes, including a career-high 38 in a regular-season game against Michigan. He shined his best on the biggest stage, Queen, in the NCAA Tournament averaged 18.6 points per game, leading the Terrapins into the Sweet 16, and famously had the game-winning running back shot to beat Colorado State and the tournament’s only buzzer-beating win. 

Draft Analysis

Queen is big and plays nearly like a guard. He has the ball-handling ability to create for himself and get to his spots on his left and right sides. He has a soft touch near the rim and can display a push shot and finish comfortably with his left hand. Queen has the Nikola Jokic-like center guard play to comfortably carry the ball up the court with this tight handle. In the half-court, he often utilizes a spin to get to different directions. 

Queen can face up against various defenders, regardless of whether they are slower or stronger. He uses his shoulder for hook shots and can shoot short mid-range jumpers. He has the potential to expand on his perimeter game, shooting 20% during his freshman season, and with his ability to shoot floaters and mid-range shots, the potential is there. 

He has strong hands and uses his burly frame to box out defenders. Queen flashes his ability to defend out of the perimeter, showcasing good lateral movement for a 6-foot-10 big and proving some perimeter rim protection. His conditioning and effort play down the stretch are a bit of a concern. Limited athleticism is another thing he lacks, but at 20 years old and entering the league, working on his physique and explosiveness can be worked on.

With Nikola Vucevic set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026 and the possibility of him being dealt at the deadline this season becoming more likely, Queen could fill that void and become Chicago’s man in the middle for decades.