Derik Queen’s meteoric rise from a five-star recruit to Maryland men’s basketball star to NBA lottery pick in just over 16 months is complete. The New Orleans Pelicans traded an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to move up from No. 23 to No. 13 for the draft rights to the 20-year-old big man in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Queen dazzled during his lone season in College Park, averaging 16.5 points and nine rebounds per game on his way to becoming the Terps’ first-ever Big Ten Freshman of the Year winner. He delivered a memory Maryland fans will remember for years to come in his second-to-last collegiate game, draining a game-winning buzzer beater to beat No.