A Baltimore native, Queen was part of a legendary Montverde Academy team that included Cooper Flagg, Asa Newell and Liam McNeeley before developing into a five-star, top-15 national recruit. He chose to return to his home state to play one season of college basketball at Maryland under coach Kevin Willard where he earned All-Big Ten honors and was named the league’s Freshman of the Year.
About
Earned McDonald’s All-American honors and was named Co-MVP of the game in 2024. Top-15 national prospect and consensus five-star.
Was the league’s Freshman of the Year and named to All-Big Ten First Team.
Voted an AP All-America Honorable Mention.
Strengths
Ultra-skilled for a player his size, he has nimble feet and soft hands allowing him to operate in tight spaces and catch everything.
Gifted with grace. Not the most athletic big but a graceful ball-handler for his size and position who can make advanced passing reads and be a playmaker.
Dynamic scorer. Has an old-school post game that allows him to finish at a high level around the basket and with the ability to finish with both hands.
High-level IQ. Seems to process the game quickly and be able to see things before they unfold. Real potential for him to be trusted as a decision-maker on short rolls and something more – perhaps a playmaking hub – in the future.
Weaknesses
Defensive capabilities may be limited. Maryland did a good job hiding him on that end of the floor, but it says a lot that they made it a point to do so. Not the quickest mover laterally and may struggle defending in space.
May need to trim down bulky frame to maximize his potential. On the thicker size and may not stand up to a full starter’s workload if he is not able to cut weight and improve his conditioning.
Only a theoretical stretch big at this point. Took only 35 3-pointers at Maryland, of which he made seven (20%). He’s very much a throwback big in many ways with his efficiency as a post scorer but with limitations right now of a throwback center in his inconsistency to be a reliable shooter.
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