Mar 8, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) handles the ball against Northwestern Wildcats guard K.J. Windham (24) during the second half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
The Brooklyn Nets have less than a quarter of this season left and with them five games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, their eyes could be set on the 2025 NBA Draft. Brooklyn began this season as a rebuilding team and even if they aren’t able to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg, they could still draft an impressive player.
In Jonathan Wasserman‘s latest 2025 NBA mock draft for Bleacher Report, he projected the Nets to take Maryland center Derik Queen with the sixth overall pick in the draft. Coming into this season, Brooklyn was hoping to get inside the top-3 range in the NBA Draft Lottery so that they would have the highest chance of getting the first overall pick, giving them the right to select whoever they wanted. Queen’s draft stock has been improving, though.
“Derik Queen has scouts weighing his impressive production, high skill level/feel and passing IQ versus his poor shooting and suspect defensive projection,” Wasserman wrote. “Believers will look at his unique ball-handling and footwork, which help separate him from past heavier-set, back-to-the-basket bigs who’ve struggled to stick or take off in the NBA.”
As Wasserman noted, Queen has been impressing NBA scouts as the college basketball season approaches the NCAA Tournament thanks to his ability to do various things from the center spot. While Queen is listed at 6-foot-10 and 246 pounds, talent evaluators had trouble figuring out how he would win in the league due to his struggles shooting the ball along with his uninspiring athleticism.
However, it is important to note that Wasserman last had Queen getting selected with the 11th overall pick, showing that he is rising up the charts in the eyes of scouts and pundits. Queen, who Wasserman compares to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, may have to show that he is elite scoring in the post if he is going to convince a team to run their offense that way. Wasserman notes that there is potential with Queen.
“He’s surprised most this year with how comfortable he looks facing up and using his dribble,” Wasserman continued. “Queen may need some specific pieces around him to mask some of his limitations, but lottery teams could simply see too polished of an offensive player to worry about fit for a rebuilding roster.”
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets projected to take Maryland C Derik Queen in 2025 NBA mock draft
