Derik Queen Proving He is More Than a Traditional Big

In an NBA that desires big men who can do some or all of protect the rim, stretch the floor, and serve as a constant lob threat, Derik Queen doesn't exactly fit the mold of what teams are generally looking for. But, Queen has a unique skillset that few big men possess and has proven to be one of the best in the country at his position as a freshman.

After going scoreless in the first 16:50 of action, Derik Queen dropped 18 points in the next 23:10 while making incredible plays that proved too much to handle for Iowa. Trailing by four points at halftime, Maryland proceeded to outscore the Hawkeyes 54-24 in the second half with the help of their seemingly unguardable freshman big. Queen was a beast on the interior grabbing 13 rebounds and finishing 6-of-7 from the charity stripe as well.

As stated earlier, Queen lacks some traits that are highly valued in the modern NBA, but he makes up for it and then some with the unteachable traits he does have. Despite appearing like a slower big man, Queen is quick on his feet, especially with the ball in his hands, that makes him a threat from any spot on the court. He has an advanced back-to-the-basket game where he uses his soft touch with both hands and impressive footwork that allows him to get to his spots or spin when he feels the defender on his back.

He is not a threat to shoot from the perimeter ( 2-for-22 from three this season) but he has a fluid shot that he can knock down in the midrange consistently. On a possession where Iowa went to a 2-3 zone, Queen used his handle to back down an Iowa guard and turnaround for a tough fadeaway shot from the elbow over his right shoulder. He has proven to be comfortable in a number of situations where most big men would not know what to do with the ball, as he has also shown an ability to use dribble moves to get from the three-point line to the basket in a split second.

Queen has an incredible feel for the game and advanced ball skills which makes him such a polarizing prospect. He has gotten himself into some trouble with turnovers, committing five on Sunday, but he hasn't had too many games where his decision-making should be a concern. The 20-year-old is currently averaging 16 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals and a block per game while leading Maryland to an impressive 20-6 record. Queen and the Terrapins will look to continue to build off of their recent success as they take on USC Thursday night.

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