Baltimore Native Derik Queen Leaves Lasting Legacy at Maryland

With the seconds dwindling down, Derik Queen broke left. He drove hard to the hoop, floated the ball off the glass, and watched his heroic shot send Maryland to the Sweet Sixteen.

After one of the most iconic moments in Maryland’s rich basketball history, Queen said the only thing that came to mind — the root of his Terrapin career:

“I’m from Baltimore.”

It was a shot heard around the nation, generating interest in a lovable Terrapin squad helmed by a leader already enjoying a fruitful NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Everywhere Queen’s basketball journey has already led him, his heart never strays far from home. He scored 14 points and grabbed 16 boards in his return to the DMV against the Washington Wizards in February as thousands of Terp fans and Queen supporters cheered him on.

In a program full of influential figures and memorable characters, Queen’s dedication to his state and his vision for Terrapin basketball made him an instant fan favorite in the Maryland community.

“I just want to put out for Baltimore,” Queen said last spring. “A lot of people don't really make it out of Baltimore. I just wanted to come here and make a change.”

Queen’s love for his hometown team landed Maryland a dynamic five-star recruit that headlined one of the most memorable seasons in recent history. Queen’s Maryland pride and undying love for his hometown sparked the Derik Queen Community Impact Fund.

“Baltimore means so much to me,” Queen said in an Overtime interview last summer. “I grew up here, do everything here, and love to give back.”

Launched in August and made possible through a generous donation from Diane and John Alahouzos, the fund has provided youth in Baltimore access to Maryland Athletics events and will continue to do so for decades to come.

Queen got to stay home to play out his passion on a local stage. Fans flocked to XFINITY Center to watch the quiet leader conduct his Terps to a 27-9 season. Now, with the help of Queen’s fund, College Park will continue to be a place that attracts a passionate fanbase to watch the legacy Queen left elevate Maryland’s basketball program back into the spotlight.

His heroic shot sent a sense of pride through Baltimore, an area that not only raised him but also built a kind-hearted individual who goes above and beyond to give back to his community. 

One year after one of the most iconic moments in recent Maryland history, Queen jerseys fill the stands at XFINITY Center. He snared the heart of a fanbase, gave them reason to believe, and delivered on the biggest stage, proving once again that basketball is so much more than a game. 

“Everybody’s excited. Baltimore’s excited,” his great uncle David Knox told the Baltimore Sun. “He’s everybody’s nephew now. He’s going to shine for us.”