Fresh off a historic rookie game, Julian “Juju” Reese matched up against his former high school and college teammate, Derik Queen. The two St. Frances Academy and University of Maryland alumni shared a special full-circle moment on the NBA hardwood, joined by their former high school teammate Bub Carrington and AAU teammate Cam Whitmore.
The Baltimore duo first shared the court during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Reese led the way as a senior, while Queen made his mark as an incoming freshman. Together, they navigated the Panthers to a perfect 13-0 record, cementing St. Frances as the best team in Baltimore.
That year, Reese took home Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year honors, while Queen secured National Freshman of the Year. Reese then followed in the footsteps of his star sister, Angel Reese, taking his talents to College Park to play for Maryland. Meanwhile, after a stellar freshman campaign, Queen transferred to Montverde Academy. He finished his high school career as a consensus five-star prospect and was a key piece of the historic 2024 Montverde squad that produced five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
A Memorable Maryland Season
Leading up to his senior year, Reese had already proven himself as a reliable big man for the Terps, pacing the team in rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. Then came the exciting news: Queen committed to Maryland, becoming the program’s highest-profile recruit since Diamond Stone. Suddenly, Queen and Reese were poised to form one of the most exciting and formidable frontcourts in the Big Ten.
Together, they elevated the program to new heights. The Terps finished the season 27-9, climbed to No. 9 in the national rankings, and made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Queen earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, sending his NBA draft stock soaring. He further etched his name into Maryland history with a memorable game-winner over Colorado State to advance to the Sweet 16. Although the Terps fell in the next round to the eventual National Champion Florida Gators, the future for both players was blindingly bright.
The Full-Circle Moment
Their paths to the pros looked very different. Queen was drafted 13th overall by the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. Reese went undrafted but was quickly picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers’ Summer League squad. Despite limited summer minutes, Reese earned a spot with the Raptors’ G-League affiliate, Raptors 905. In 24 games, he locked down the starting forward position, averaging 8.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game.
His solid G-League performance caught the eye of the Washington Wizards, who signed him to a two-way deal to bolster their rebounding. Reese delivered immediately. In just his third game with the Wizards, with his family in attendance, Reese put up historic numbers: 18 points and a staggering 20 rebounds. He shattered the franchise record for most offensive rebounds by a rookie with 10, and became the first player since Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal to grab 20 rebounds within their first five career games.
In his fourth game, Reese matched up against Queen for the first time in their professional careers. The Pelicans took the win 138-118, with Queen contributing 13 points and two blocks. But the real highlight happened after the final buzzer.
Reese and Queen were seen snapping a photo with their fellow Baltimore products: Cam Whitmore (who played for Team Thrill alongside Reese) and Bub Carrington (who played for St. Frances after Queen and Reese departed). These four athletes perfectly represent the rich pipeline of NBA talent flowing out of Baltimore. For this brotherhood, the future is incredibly bright.
