Derik Queen Lands Dairy Queen NIL Contract amid Maryland's March Madness Run

The NIL era continues to be the gift that keeps giving during March Madness.

Darren Rovell of Cllct reported Wednesday that Maryland center Derik Queen signed an NIL deal with Dairy Queen.

It's a wonder the fast foot chain waited this long with the freshman cementing himself as a possible lottery pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He has averaged 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds this season.

Queen's profile has grown with the Terrapins advancing to the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament. He had a double-double (12 points and 15 rebounds) in a first-round win over Grand Canyon and then nailed a buzzer-beater to lift his team past Colorado State.

Adding to the moment, Queen dropped an iconic postgame interview.

"I'm from Baltimore. That's why," he said when asked what gave him the confidence to take the last shot.

Maryland's NIL store is already selling official apparel with that quote emblazoned on the front.

"Right there, we knew: That's the shirt," said Sean Ellenby, the director of marketing and communications for Campus Ink's NIL arm, in an interview with the Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer. "That's what has to go out. You're also just watching social media, too, like, 'What are people saying? What's catching fire? What's hitting people in their emotions? And it was that line."

Queen will be cashing a pretty big NBA check before too long. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the 6'10" to go fifth overall to the Brooklyn Nets in his newest mock draft.

His bank account is already getting more robust thanks to his efforts this March.