Five-star big man Derik Queen is set to arrive on campus later today and this is perhaps the biggest OV Maryland has had since Diamond Stone back in the day. The Terps have been the perceived leaders throughout, but Indiana and Houston are both making a big push.
I will say this, Team Thrill director Mookie Dobbins, who is running point on his recruitment, has gone mostly silent with a lot of folks down the stretch of this one, myself included. With that said, he still communicates with one source of mine regularly and still says the Terps are in very good shape. It is true that Dobbins has a good relationship with Sampson and really trusts him after Walker was taken No. 8 in this year's NBA Draft, but Willard has made Queen THE priority and even perhaps sacrificed some other possible commits (like Matt Hodge) to make sure the money is right and they are able to land Queen. Willard knows he can't miss on this one and he's doing everything you can think of to make sure they don't.
As for Queen as a player, I'll admit, early in his high school career I felt, as did others, he really needed to improve his stamina and motor to become the five-star everyone expected him to be. Well, lucky for us, he did improve his motor and he's become arguably the best big in the class. He has amazing post footwork, soft hands, the ability to go to either shoulder in the post, he is a rim protector, has excellent vision for someone his size and has even become a solid rim runner. He isn't the most explosive, but he knows how to use his size and will bully smaller guys in the post.
As for when to expect a commitment, it is likely to come in the next couple weeks before the early signing period. More at the link below.
STORY
I will say this, Team Thrill director Mookie Dobbins, who is running point on his recruitment, has gone mostly silent with a lot of folks down the stretch of this one, myself included. With that said, he still communicates with one source of mine regularly and still says the Terps are in very good shape. It is true that Dobbins has a good relationship with Sampson and really trusts him after Walker was taken No. 8 in this year's NBA Draft, but Willard has made Queen THE priority and even perhaps sacrificed some other possible commits (like Matt Hodge) to make sure the money is right and they are able to land Queen. Willard knows he can't miss on this one and he's doing everything you can think of to make sure they don't.
As for Queen as a player, I'll admit, early in his high school career I felt, as did others, he really needed to improve his stamina and motor to become the five-star everyone expected him to be. Well, lucky for us, he did improve his motor and he's become arguably the best big in the class. He has amazing post footwork, soft hands, the ability to go to either shoulder in the post, he is a rim protector, has excellent vision for someone his size and has even become a solid rim runner. He isn't the most explosive, but he knows how to use his size and will bully smaller guys in the post.
As for when to expect a commitment, it is likely to come in the next couple weeks before the early signing period. More at the link below.
STORY
