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Maryland Basketball: Derik Queen rises in latest NBA mock draft

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Trent Knoop | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 9:28 AM ET

Maryland basketball freshman Derik Queen has been a polarizing figure when talking about the 2025 NBA Draft. The one-year standout was originally expected to become a lottery pick, with the ceiling up being taken in the top-five. But after a rough NBA Draft Combine in which he struggled to show off his athleticism, Queen started falling down boards -- also falling out of lottery expectations.

But CBS Sports' latest mock draft has a different viewpoint on Queen. Cameron Salerno has the Washington Wizards taking Queen with the No. 6 pick in the draft.

"Teams should swing for talent over fit around the early-to-late portion of the lottery. Queen checks both boxes. Queen is a skilled, offensive big man with sweet footwork. Queen can slide into Washington's lineup and play next to Alex Sarr in the frontcourt. There are question marks about his defense at the NBA level, and rightfully so. Sarr can cover up some of those weaknesses on the back line."

Queen proved he can bang around down low. Leading Maryland to a Sweet 16 appearance, the former five-star prospect averaged 16.5 points and nine rebounds per game. He slowly developed a 3-point shot, but that's still a work in progress. If Queen can prove he will give it his all every game, then he can end up being one of the best prospects from this draft.

This article first appeared on Maryland Terrapins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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