By CHARLIE PARENT
Derik Queen, a top 10 prospect in the class of 2024, has committed to Maryland, ending a long recruiting battle with Indiana and Houston.
The 6-foot-10 Montverde Academy (FL.) product attended St. Frances Prep (MD.) for his first years of high school and ultimately comes back home to play for the Terrapins.
“It’s home. The fans have always been great,” he told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.
He is the second commit in Maryland’s 2024 class, joining three-star Mt. Zion Prep (MD.) guard Malachi Palmer. Queen is also the fifth Montverde player to commit, including Cooper Flagg (Duke), Liam McNeeley (Indiana), Asa Newell (Georgia) and Robert Wright III (Baylor).
“Derik Queen is the [Nikola] Jokic of High School Basketball,” Montverde coach Kevin Boyle told ZAGSBLOG.
“He’s one of the most intelligent and skilled players regardless of position. He deserves to be a First-team All-American, it’s not even close.”
Maryland head coach Kevin Willard has had success with Boyle’s Montverde products in the past. Willard developed Sandro Mamukelashvili at Seton Hall as the big man won Big East Player of the Year in 2021.
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