"We're both slow": When Derik Queen compared himself to Denver's Nikola Jokić back in high school

Derik Queen is set to kick off his professional basketball journey after being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday night. For the 6-foot-10 center, making it to the NBA has always been the dream, and he has always shown great potential, especially since his high school freshman days.

When he was still a high school prospect, Queen sat down with former NBA star Matt Barnes for an interview, where he was asked to break down his game and compare it to an NBA player. To answer the question, Queen likened himself to Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić, highlighting a few traits he believed they had in common.

"A lot of people say I play like Jokic," Queen said (Timestamp: 1:11). "Because we're both slow … uh, both smart, we both can pass and we know the game."

Queen was also asked which aspect of his game he considers to be his biggest strength and replied (Timestamp: 11:25):

"Probably my passing, my finishing, me creating my own shot, rebounding. ... That's pretty much it."

At the time of the interview, Derik Queen was an uncommitted prospect, ranked among the top 10 players in ESPN's Class of 2024. He eventually chose to play for the Maryland Terrapins, where he spent just one season before declaring for the NBA draft.

With the Terrapins, Derik Queen averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while helping lead the Terrapins to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The New Orleans Pelicans selected him with the 13th pick in the draft.

Revisiting New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen's high school basketball career

As a high school freshman, Derik Queen attended Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. He led the team to a 15-1 record, averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks per game. He was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year.

Queen did not, however, continue with the Saint Frances Panthers. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, where he spent his remaining high school years.

As a sophomore on a star-studded Montverde team, Queen's playing time was \limited. However, when called upon, he contributed to the team's second straight GEICO Nationals title that season.

The next season, Queen played in 25 games, averaging 11.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 2.2 apg.

Derik Queen's senior year turned out to be nothing short of legendary. Playing in a stacked Montverde Academy roster that included future NBA first-round picks Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeeley and Asa Newell, Queen helped lead the team to a 34-0 record. He held his own among the star-studded lineup, averaging 16.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 2.0 apg.