Maryland Basketball Scoop: Recruit rumblings, Derik Queen's big decision and more
The latest scoop from behind the scenes of Maryland basketball.
At first, it was hard to say if Maryland would become a serious player for ...
Chance Mallory. They missed on him the first time when he committed to Virginia, and after he de-committed following Tony Bennett's abrupt retirement, it seemed like he'd go elsewhere. But after a few recent conversations with sources, I think they're squarely in the mix for the highly regarded point guard from Charlottesville.
"I think they have a chance. He wouldn't be visiting otherwise," a source said. "He's just dynamic. Willard would have to figure out how it would work, but the two of them together could be really good."
I'm told Maryland was in attendance at Mallory's game this past Tuesday. He'll visit Maryland officially in a month.
I asked another source if it would help having Derik Queen, his friend and former wingman with Team Thrill, recruiting him for the Terps. The answer: it might help in terms of giving an insider's view of the program, but not in a, "Let's team up again way." That's because the odds of Queen coming back continue to decrease as had shines.
"He's a lottery pick," he said.
Mock drafts largely still have him in the 20s, but they're likely underestimating his stock. There's still a chance he could return, but with every big performance that seems like more of a longshot. Assuming he goes, the Terps will need two centers from the portal in the spring. Queen will have a big decision to make, and with revenue sharing coming, Maryland will have a chance to try to sway him with more than begging. But it's increasingly likely the NBA will be a foregone conclusion by the end of this season.
But assuming Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice return, they'll be strong in the backcourt, especially if Malachi Palmer takes a step forward andd Mallory picks Maryland over Miami, Tennessee and others.
Robbie Hummel, maybe the best college basketball analyst on TV, raved about Gillespie yesterday.
"At the end of the 2024 season, Kevin Willard knew he had to replace his stud point guard, Jahmir Young, due to graduation. And he found his man in the Missouri Valley Conference. Ja'Kobi Gillespie from Belmont has come in and run the show for the Maryland Terrapins. Last season, Gillespie was a second-team all-conference selection and a member of the Valley all-defensive team," Hummel said.
"A guy that plays both ways, has great electricity and athleticism, plays with burst and it's been on display throughout this season for Maryland. Ja'Kobi Gillespite has been effective in the pick-and-roll with both Derik Queen and Julian Reese and has shown that he's more than just [a guy that can] get to the rim. He can shoot it from three. He's shooting 41 percent from the three-point line and averaging 14 points and three assists a game. "
Gillespie has steadied the offense and helped Maryland cut down on a big problem last season.
"Last season, Maryland was a team that turned it over at a high clip, but with Ja'Kobi Gillespie running the offense this year, those numbers are way down. Also, Maryland's offensive efficiency is way up. You have to give a lot of credit to the Maryland point guard. The step up in competition from the Valley to the Big Ten hasn't been a problem. [He scored] 23 points against Ohio State, 18 points against Purdue. Also in the conference back in November, Gillespie hung 24 on a very good Marquette defense. Maryland is a team with great bigs that can make some noise this year in the Big Ten conference. But if they do, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, a guard, is going to be a big part of that success."
Gillespie was ranked the No. 48 player and No. 13 points guard in the portal last offseason, but those rankings no longer apply. The junior from Tennessee has the fifth-best offensive rating in the Big Ten according to KenPom, two spots ahead of Queen. All four players with higher percentages than Gillespie -- Oumar Ballo (Indiana), Zach Hicks (Penn State), Brandon Angel (Oregon and Vladislav Goldin (Michigan) -- are seniors
Maryland was well-positioned with Gillespie because of some grassroots Under Armour connections with the program. You can safely assume they'll be working those connections again in the portal next spring.
