"Future Sixer Derik Queen": Philly fans hyped as they hope to bag Maryland prospect to ft. alongside Joel Embiid

Derik Queen was solid for Maryland and helped them defeat 12th-seeded Colorado State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The 6-foot-10 center recorded 17 points and six rebounds. Queen also hit a buzzer-beating fadeaway to win the game for Maryland (72-71).

Queen averages 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 34 games. He is one of the top prospects in college and is expected to be in the lottery during the 2025 NBA draft.

Philadelphia fans have been hopeful of landing Queen and seeing him play alongside Joel Embiid. Even in Sportskeeda’s mock draft back in December, we expected Queen to land with the 76ers.

Now, fans are clamoring for the same, as Sixers Nation posted on X:

“Future Sixer Derik Queen 👀.”

“I’d love him in Philly. Just unsure how they'd get him. If Sixers get top 6 pick Queen might be a reach there. He'll probably go 10-20,” another fan said.

“Yes Embiids replacement,” a fan opined.

Another Sixers Nation post asking who the team should draft outside of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, V.J. Edgecombe and Amari Bailey had many fans asking for Queen:

“It’s a reach but I really like derik queen maybe kon,” one fan said.

“Derick queen easy,” another fan said.

“Queen all the way,” another fan said.

Queen is a menacing presence in the paint and will give Philadelphia and Embiid some much-needed breathing room and defensive resilience.

“I'm from Baltimore”: Maryland’s Derik Queen on where he got the confidence to hit game-winning buzzer beater

Coming out of his team's final timeout against Colorado State, Maryland’s Derik Queen made good on a fadeaway jumper and helped the Terrapins squeak by with a one-point lead.

Speaking after the game, Queen explained where he got the confidence to hit that shot:

“I’m from Baltimore, that's why," Queen said. "I kind of had it going all game, me and my teammates had it going. They trusted me to take that last shot.”

Queen’s Maryland has now advanced to the Sweet 16 where they will face the first-seeded Florida Gators. This should prove to be quite a challenge for Maryland, seeing how they barely defeated Colorado State.