COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Maryland men's basketball center Derik Queen was named as one of 20 members on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List. The award is given annually to the top center in Division I men's college basketball.
Queen is the first Terp to be named to the preseason watch list since Qudus Wahab ahead of the 2021-22 season. Queen is the fifth Terp to earn the preseason honor, joining the aforementioned Wahab, Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, and Diamond Stone. Queen is the second Terp to earn preseason watch list honors before this season, with Julian Reese named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List.
Queen is heading into his freshman season at Maryland, after being one of the top prep standouts in the previous cycle. Queen was a McDonald's All-American and a consensus five-star recruit. At the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game, Queen was named Co-MVP after scoring 23 points with eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Queen is the second-highest rated recruit to sign with the Terps, between fellow five stars Diamond Stone (No. 8, 2015) and Jalen Smith (No. 15, 2018). Queen helped lead Montverde Academy to a 33-0 record in 2023-24, where he was named a MaxPreps Second Team All-American after leading the team to the Chipotle National Championship and earned All-Tournament honors.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men's college basketball.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).
Maryland gets the 2023-24 season started on Nov. 4, as the Terrapins host Manhattan at the XFINITY Center. Tip-off of the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Season tickets and mini packs are available and can be purchased online at umterps.com, by calling the Terrapin Ticket Office at 800-462-TERP, or by emailing for more information at terptix@umd.edu.
Queen is the first Terp to be named to the preseason watch list since Qudus Wahab ahead of the 2021-22 season. Queen is the fifth Terp to earn the preseason honor, joining the aforementioned Wahab, Bruno Fernando, Jalen Smith, and Diamond Stone. Queen is the second Terp to earn preseason watch list honors before this season, with Julian Reese named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List.
Queen is heading into his freshman season at Maryland, after being one of the top prep standouts in the previous cycle. Queen was a McDonald's All-American and a consensus five-star recruit. At the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game, Queen was named Co-MVP after scoring 23 points with eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Queen is the second-highest rated recruit to sign with the Terps, between fellow five stars Diamond Stone (No. 8, 2015) and Jalen Smith (No. 15, 2018). Queen helped lead Montverde Academy to a 33-0 record in 2023-24, where he was named a MaxPreps Second Team All-American after leading the team to the Chipotle National Championship and earned All-Tournament honors.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men's college basketball.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award | |
| NAME | SCHOOL |
| Clifford Omoruyi | Alabama |
| Motiejus Krivas | Arizona |
| Jayden Quaintance | Arizona State |
| Jonas Aidoo | Arkansas |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton |
| Khaman Maluach | Duke |
| Oumar Ballo | Indiana |
| Hunter Dickinson | Kansas |
| Amari Williams | Kentucky |
| Derik Queen | Maryland |
| Vladislav Goldin | Michigan |
| Dawson Garcia | Minnesota |
| Malik Dia | Ole Miss |
| Robbie Avila | St. Louis |
| Mitchell Saxen | Saint Mary's |
| Maxime Raynaud | Stanford |
| Eddie Lampkin Jr. | Syracuse |
| William Kyle III | UCLA |
| Samson Johnson | UConn |
| Efton Reid | Wake Forest |
Maryland gets the 2023-24 season started on Nov. 4, as the Terrapins host Manhattan at the XFINITY Center. Tip-off of the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Season tickets and mini packs are available and can be purchased online at umterps.com, by calling the Terrapin Ticket Office at 800-462-TERP, or by emailing for more information at terptix@umd.edu.
