NBA Draft: Sixers Predicted to Pick Player With 4x NBA All-Star Comp

Could the Sixers land a DeMarcus Cousins-type of prospect in the NBA Draft?

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Julian Reese (10), center Derik Queen (25), and guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie (0) walk off the court after defeating the Colorado State Rams at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers’ tank is moving in the right direction. As the team needs to win a pick in the top six through the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery in order to keep their selection, the steady losing is working in their favor.

At this stage of the year, many mock drafts feature the Sixers taking a high-end lottery pick. In Yahoo Sports’ latest round of predictions, the Sixers go with a center for their fifth-overall pick, selecting Maryland’s Derik Queen.

The 20-year-old freshman has drawn comparisons to Minnesota Timberwolves standout Naz Reid and the former four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) drives to the basket against Colorado State Rams forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (8) in the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

“The Sixers selecting him would operate as both a hedge against the health of Joel Embiid, but also as a supporting piece alongside him since the Sixers need frontcourt depth and they could share the floor together. If Queen translates his velvet touch to the perimeter, he has offensive star upside, though his interior scoring, playmaking chops, and magnetic rebounding alone give him tantalizing potential.” via Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports.

The Baltimore-born big man finished out his high school playing career at Montverde in Florida. As a five-star recruit, he ended up back in his home state as a top-20 player in his class.

During the 2024-2025 NCAA season, Queen appeared in 35 games. He posted averages of 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal. He was critical to Maryland’s 27-8 run.

The Sixers didn’t have question marks at the center position last summer. They had the gold medalist Joel Embiid headed for an extension, a recently-signed Paul Reed, and had their sights set on a reunion with Andre Drummond. In addition, the Sixers selected a center during the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, picking up Adem Bona out of UCLA.

Reed was eventually waived. While Drummond was acquired through the free agency market, his second run in Philly has been filled with inconsistency and injuries. To top it all off, Embiid failed to appear in 20 games. His status moving forward is a major question mark as a recovery plan has not been revealed just yet.

The Sixers might need center help next season, and they could embrace more of a youth movement much sooner than expected. Perhaps a player like Derik Queen is their next notable addition through the draft after hitting on Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain over the last few years.