Maryland Basketball: Freshman Derik Queen featured on Big Ten Network special
Not long after freshman center Derik Queen notched a career-high 27 points against Minnesota, the Big Ten Network aired a segment highlighting his journey back to Maryland.
A native of Baltimore, Queen describes growing up in a tough area of the city. Growing up, Queen said he had to be very cautious and that his mother wanted him home as soon as the street lights came on. At roughly the age of six, Queen began his basketball journey, and around fourth grade is when he says he fell in love with the game.
In high school, Queen spent one year at St. Francis Academy. The following year, he took his talents down to Orlando at Montverde Academy. Queen says the decision to relocate was due to the opportunity to play against better competition and grow as a basketball player.
Head coach Kevin Willard recalled the first time meeting Queen on the recruiting trail.
"It was the end of his sophomore year, and I remember kinda looking at him and being like, 'this kid's like a big teddy bear. Is he really what everyone talked him up to be?' When you're going after such a good player, you've got to make sure that he's the right fit... that bringing him home is the right thing to do. So for us, getting to know him, for him to know us was really more important than the sale to stay home."
Queen said that Willard made him a priority as soon as taking over at Maryland. As he progressed throughout his high school career, the offer list began to grow. But ultimately, Queen decided that a return to Maryland was the right decision for him.
"I always had a really good feeling that he was going to come to Maryland," Willard said. "He always gave that vibe that he wanted to come home, wanted to play in front of his friends and family. He wanted to make a really big impact, not only at the University, but the state.
You can watch BTN's full segment on Queen below:
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