2025 NBA Draft Scouting Report for New Orleans Pelican No. 13 Pick Derik Queen
The New Orleans Pelicans have selected Derik Queen with the No. 13 pick in the 2025 NBA draft after acquiring the pick from the Atlanta Hawks.
Queen earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this past season at Maryland, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and he landed on the conference’s All-Freshman Team in 2025.
He also received an AP All-America honorable mention.
Queen led Maryland with 16.5 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field, which tied for 67th nationally. His 9.0 rebounds per game tied for 32nd in the country and third in the Big Ten.
He stood out with his interior scoring, surprising perimeter comfort and passing instincts that suggest more to unlock.
Still, Queen's defense remains a red flag, especially when he's pulled away from the basket. He lacks the speed, quickness and lift to consistently cover ground.
The 20-year-old did show confidence in his jumper, but the results didn’t follow. Bigs who don't shoot or protect the rim typically need elite scoring touch inside to stay on the floor, and that's where he can excel to start his career.
Of course, Queen is a highly touted prospect for a reason. His footwork, vision and interior scoring craft can give him real star equity if this ends up being the right system and he finds ways to mask his physical limitations.
Queen is ranked No. 11 on B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman's 2025 Prospect Big Board.
Essential Facts and Stats
College: Maryland | Position: C | Height: 6'9" | Weight: 248 lbs | Age: 20 | Vertical: 28" | Wingspan: 7′0″ | PPG: 16.5 | RPG: 9 | APG: 1.9 | BPG: 1.1 | SPG: 1.1 | FG%: 52.6 | 3PT%: 20%
Realistic Pro Comparison: Alperen Sengun
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Queen reminds of Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun with his below-the-rim skill, footwork and instincts.
Neither possesses athletic traits for earning easy baskets, but they can be used as go-to options in the half court based on their post games, passing and overall polish.
At this point, Sengun is a one-time All-Star at 22 years old with, what seems likely, more to come. Queen will need to advance other parts of his game beyond the low-post scoring to reach that status.
Strengths
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Post Game: Queen's deep repertoire of post moves, excellent touch with both hands, and strong footwork make him one of the class's most reliable interior scorers, even without elite vertical athleticism.
Improving Handle: Queen surprised this year with how comfortable he was attacking bigs away from the basket. The ability to grab and go or handle in space proved to be very advantageous for creating opportunities.
Passing: One of the best passing bigs in the draft, in spite of pedestrian assist numbers. He reads double teams well and processes quickly.
Weaknesses
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Defense: Queen does not project favorably on defense at the next level, particularly if he's pulled away from the basket.
Athleticism: Queen finished bottom two in every athletic testing category at the combine. He lacks speed, lateral quickness and explosion, weaknesses that show at both ends.
Shooting: He showed confidence shooting jumpers, but the results were poor. Bigs who aren't rim protectors or shooters need elite touch in the paint.
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