Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) passes the ball against the Colorado State Rams in the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

With just three seconds and changing remaining in the Round of 32 bout between No. 4 Maryland and No. 12 Colorado State, true freshman Derik Queen received the ball at the top of the key, and turned to make his move.

He power-dribbled twice, fought through contact from a Rams defender, and used impeccable footwork to fire off a running jumper that banked true with zeros on the clock.

Maryland found itself with a one-point win and a Sweet Sixteen bid, and Queen more acclaim than when he started the game.

Most basketball fans were acquainted with Queen for the first time on his last-second circus shot. But those following the NBA Draft have long watched the 6-foot-10 highly-skilled big man.

A five-star big hailing from Montverde Academy, Queen was thought of to be an NBA Draft hopeful this season, but few expected this level of production. Across 34 games, he’s poured on 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 blocks and steals apiece, shooting 53% overall and 76% from the free throw line.

Even more, he’s shown up for the highly-ranked Terrapins in the postseason, too. Not an easy feat for a freshman. In round one, he added 12 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Sunday’s buzzer-beater was just one small portion of a great performance overall, featuring 17 points in total, with six rebounds, two blocks and one assist. He shot 7-for-12 overall and even hit two triples.

Shooting will be a massive swing skill in his development, as it could turn him from a solid ancillary piece to a legitimate go-to scoring option. From an earlier scouting report on Queen: “Queen is not yet a floor spacer, which will be a huge swing as it relates to his ultimate ceiling moving forward. Even then, when he gets the ball away from the rim, he can still make things happen without having the ability to rise up and shoot. The Maryland freshman is a very good passer for his size with the ability to survey the floor and hit cutters when he has the ball.”

As it stands now, Queen likely has top-10 stock at the 2025 NBA Draft. But all it will take is one team within the top five-to-seven to value his skills at 6-foot-10.