Sports

Maryland Hoops Star Refutes False Reports Of Transfer Portal Entry Amid Coaching Change

#Maryland Terrapins
by Last Updated
Maryland basketball player Derik Queen during the NCAA Tournament.

© Eakin Howard-Imagn Images


The Maryland basketball program is undergoing massive change this offseason. The Terps, fresh off a run to the Sweet 16, are in the midst of a coaching change following the departure of Kevin Willard.

Keeping the roster intact has proven difficult for replacement Buzz Williams. There are reportedly only two scholarship players with eligibility remaining not in the transfer portal.

Derik Queen is one of those players alongside teammate Chance Stephens. He proved to be the Terps’ top player this past season, averaging a team-high 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Queen made sure to clarify his status amid false reports of his portal entry.

On Tuesday, a Maryland sports podcast account retweeted a basketball transfer announcement from Malachi Palmer. That post came accompanied by a message that read, “And then there was one; Chance Stephens is now the lone player to not yet enter the transfer portal.”

It was met with an immediate correction from Derik Queen.

While the transfer portal rejection is notable, his future in College Park is still uncertain. He’s set to become a Top 5 pick should he enter the NBA Draft.

With that being said, Queen has yet to publicly announce his future plans. He could still return to Maryland with the help of NIL.

Kevin Willard bailed on the Terrapins for Villanova this offseason. He cited a lack of NIL support in his reasoning. Administration has worked to fix that issue as it looks ahead to the Buzz Williams era. Local businesses are doing their part, too.

It may or may not be enough to sway Queen’s NBA decision. Still, he seems to approve of the new hire.

Derik Queen has a decision to make. Most believe his mind is already made up given his rising NBA Draft stock. Still, nothing is official until the center announces his future plans publicly.

The latest mock draft from Bleacher Report puts Queen at No. 5 on the big board. He saw a jump in those projections after a dominant NCAA Tournament run.

In three games, he averaged just under 19 points a night. That included a game-winner against Colorado State and a 27-point outburst against top-ranked Florida.

Queen is likely NBA bound. The door is open ever-so-slightly for a return to the Maryland basketball team. The big man is NOT in the transfer portal. We should know his plans soon.