Queen is the Terps’ highest-ranked recruit in almost a decade.
Maryland men’s basketball rosters just two true freshmen. But one of them is the program’s highest-touted recruit in almost a decade, and when combined with the other’s impact, could immensely transform the trajectory of the season.
Derik Queen has generated significant excitement for the program heading into the new season. Despite the departure of star scorer and program centerpiece Jahmir Young, Terps fans have a budding superstar to look forward.
Last season, Maryland head coach Kevin Willard was bullish on freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith. A four-star recruit, Harris-Smith was put in position to contribute early and often. But he struggled to find his footing, shooting just 20.2% from 3-point range.
This year, Willard has not backed off his stance on allowing young players to develop early, emphasizing at the team’s media day that having good, young players is essential.
The chosen one
Queen could very well be the most important player on Maryland’s roster. He was the No. 8 recruit in the class of 2024, according to ESPN, and was the co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. He helped Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, to a 33-0 record in the 2023-24 season, leading the team with 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds.
With the departure of forward Donta Scott, Queen’s presence becomes even more valuable. He’s expected to start alongside fellow forward Julian Reese in the front court.
Willard has already heaped plenty of praise onto the first-year Baltimore native. He dubbed Queen a “once-in-a-generation” type of player during the team’s media day and said if he were an NBA general manager, he would draft him “in a heartbeat.”
Willard does not foresee many issues with a Queen-Reese frontcourt, noting the two complement one another well. He spoke highly about Queen’s ability to pass out of the post, which could reduce the double teams Reese sees. Willard also said both have held up in the team’s zone defense, and Queen has been “great” in the press.
Queen’s offensive skill set is somewhat hard to describe. He’s not going to drop jaws with Allen Iverson-esque handles, blow past defenders like De’Aaron Fox or score in isolation like Carmelo Anthony. Instead, it’s his vision, poise and feel for the game that sets him apart from other players his age. That, combined with his size and rebounding ability, should allow him to flourish at Maryland.
“The good thing about Derek is he’s a very, very smart young man. He’s a quick learner,” Willard said.
A dark horse contributor
In any other season, Malachi Palmer would be a standout young star generating plenty of buzz, but he’s been largely overlooked because of Queen.
Palmer was a spectacular high school player in his own right. A four-star recruit, he was 247Sports’ No. 1 player in the class 2024 from Maryland and the No. 137 player in the nation. He played his last two seasons of high school at Mt. Zion Prep in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Palmer has spectacular size for a guard, standing at 6-foot-6. While he may not receive a lot of playing time immediately in a crowded backcourt alongside Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice and Jahari Long, developing the young talent could prove to be rewarding for Willard.
At media day, Palmer spoke about the tangible difference between his high school playing days and joining the Terps.
“The main difference, I would say, is the speed and the physicality of the game,” Palmer said. “A lot of the small details matter. Boxing out, just doing the little things I might have gotten away with in high school, I can’t do in college.”
Palmer could carve out a role for himself sooner than later, especially with his ability to hit 3-pointers. But the freshman guard knows he can provide other things to the team than just buckets.
“I’m doing all the little stuff — playing defense, boxing out, diving on the floor for loose balls,” he said.
While Willard has compiled the team with a solid group of returners and transfers, Queen and Palmer may be the most important pieces.