Derik Queen Bio
Derik Emanuel Queen is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class, he played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins before entering the professional ranks.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Queen developed into a versatile frontcourt prospect through elite high school programs in Baltimore and Florida. He was selected 13th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2025 NBA draft and was traded to the Pelicans on the same day, beginning his NBA career as a long-term piece of the team’s young core.
Early Life and Background
Derik Emanuel Queen was born on December 27, 2004, in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a city with a deep basketball tradition, and the sport became a central part of his upbringing from an early age. His physical profile, listed at 6 feet 9 inches and around 250 pounds, made him a natural fit for the frontcourt by his early teenage years.
Queen attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, where he played for the Panthers. As a freshman, he averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks per game during a COVID-shortened season, leading the program to a 15–1 record and an appearance in the Baltimore Catholic League title game. He was named MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year for his performance, and he also posted a 56-point game against Annapolis Area Christian School on March 12, 2021.
Following his freshman season, Queen transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, a program widely known for producing elite college and professional talent. He spent the next three seasons developing at Montverde, eventually emerging as a top-ranked national recruit.
Path to Basketball
Queen’s development accelerated rapidly at Montverde Academy, where he played alongside other high-level prospects. As a sophomore, he received limited playing time on a deep roster that won its second straight GEICO Nationals title in 2022. As a junior, he averaged 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game on 61 percent shooting and received a MaxPreps Junior All-American honorable mention.
He also competed for Team Thrill UAA in off-season events, leading the program to an Under Armour Association 17U spring championship in 2023 with a dominant 22-point, 15-rebound, five-block performance in the title game. On October 27, 2023, Queen narrowed his college list to four finalists: Maryland, Indiana, Kansas, and Houston. He verbally committed to Maryland on February 21, 2024, choosing a program that had offered him a scholarship during the summer before his freshman year of high school.
Derik Queen Career
College Career (2024–2025)
Queen enrolled at the University of Maryland in 2024 and quickly became a central figure for the Terrapins. Following his freshman season, he was named first-team All-Big Ten by the conference coaches and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, while also being selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
He saved some of his most memorable moments for the postseason. In the 2025 Big Ten Tournament semifinal, Queen scored 31 points against the eventual conference champion Michigan Wolverines, setting the record for the most points ever scored in the tournament by a Maryland freshman and earning All-Tournament Team recognition. Days later, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, he hit a fadeaway jump shot at the buzzer to lift Maryland past Colorado State 72–71. It was his first game-winning shot at any level and one of the defining plays of his college career.
NBA Breakthrough (2025–Present)
Queen was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. On the same day, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a package for Asa Newell and a future first-round draft pick. Queen signed his rookie contract on July 5, 2025, formally beginning his NBA career with the franchise.
His debut was delayed by a left wrist injury. During a July 15 NBA Summer League game, Queen tore a scapholunate ligament in his left wrist and had surgery on July 18. He was expected to miss approximately three months while recovering.
Once healthy, Queen made an immediate impact. On November 20, 2025, he recorded a then-career-high 30 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in a 125–118 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He raised that bar again on December 8, 2025, posting a 33-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double with four blocks in a 135–132 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In the process, he became the first rookie center in NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double.
Driving Style and Strengths
Queen plays a modern, skilled brand of frontcourt basketball. He finishes effectively around the rim, rebounds on both ends, and is comfortable stepping away from the basket with a reliable mid-range jumper. His passing vision has emerged as a defining trait, allowing him to operate as a hub in the half-court and create scoring chances for teammates. Defensively, his length and timing have translated into growing shot-blocking production, complementing his rebounding and transition work.
Notable Events and Milestones
Queen’s career has already produced several defining moments. His buzzer-beating fadeaway against Colorado State in the 2025 NCAA tournament announced him nationally, while his 31-point performance against Michigan set a Maryland freshman record in the Big Ten Tournament. In the NBA, his December 8, 2025, triple-double against the San Antonio Spurs made him the first rookie center in league history to post 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a single game.
Derik Queen Career Wins
Queen’s competitive résumé spans high school national events, college postseason runs, and the early stages of his NBA career. He is a McDonald’s All-American Game Co-MVP from 2024, a Jordan Brand Classic participant, and a first-team All-Big Ten honoree.
High School and College Highlights
At Montverde Academy, Queen was part of a GEICO Nationals title-winning program as a sophomore and led Team Thrill UAA to an Under Armour Association 17U spring championship in 2023. At Maryland, he earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition. His 2025 Big Ten Tournament performance earned him an All-Tournament Team selection, and his NCAA tournament buzzer-beater against Colorado State became one of the signature plays of that year’s March Madness.
Other Wins and Performances
Queen’s high school production included a 56-point game as a freshman at St. Frances Academy and a 34-point, 11-rebound effort against Sunrise Christian Academy at the LaPorte Invitational. He also posted 25 points and 13 rebounds against IMG Academy during his senior season at Montverde, reinforcing his status as one of the most productive frontcourt players in the 2024 recruiting class.
Derik Queen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Queen’s immediate family remain limited. He was raised in Baltimore, a city with a strong basketball culture that helped shape his early development as a player.
Personal Life
Queen is in the early stages of his professional career and is currently focused on establishing himself with the New Orleans Pelicans. He turned 21 years old in December 2025 and continues to balance the demands of an NBA schedule with his ongoing recovery from left wrist surgery.
2025 Season Performance
Queen’s rookie season has been defined by a difficult start, a steady recovery, and an explosive late-year surge. After tearing a scrapholunate ligament in his left wrist during Summer League play in July, he spent the early portion of the schedule working his way back to full strength, with an expected timeline of roughly three months. His first major impact came on November 20, 2025, when he poured in 30 points against the Denver Nuggets, signaling that he was fully healthy and ready to contribute at a high level.
He followed that performance with an even more historic showing on December 8, 2025, recording a 33-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double with four blocks against the San Antonio Spurs. In doing so, he became the first rookie center in NBA history to post a 30-point triple-double, instantly placing his name in the league’s record book. Those efforts have helped him establish himself as a central figure in the Pelicans’ long-term plans and as one of the most talked-about young big men in the league.