Two-Way Talents: Trevelin Queen

(All stats accurate as of 1/11/24)

Take a moment to consider this resume: MVP. Finals MVP. All-League. All-Defense.

Who do you think it belongs to? It sounds like it would be one of the best players in basketball, a guy like Giannis or LeBron. 

It’s actually Trevelin Queen’s. 

Welcome back to Two-Way Talents! This series highlights two-way contract players from across the association that are balling out and staking a claim for a bigger role. The goal is to give unknown players the attention they deserve. This installment is about Trevelin Queen, the G-League superstar who has stepped up in the big league as of late. 

Since going undrafted in 2020, Queen has been one of the very best players in the NBA’s minor league, evident by his extensive list of accolades. He dominated during his 2021-22 campaign with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, winning MVP and leading his team to a championship. The year after, he made the G-League’s inaugural Next Up game, their equivalent of the All-Star game. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t been able to stick in the majors. Tenures with the Rockets and the Pacers ended up just being cups of coffee on two-way contracts and he hasn’t earned a standard deal yet. 

That could change this season. The Orlando Magic have been riddled with injuries this year. They’ve seen most of their key players outside of Paolo Banchero miss time, coach Jamahl Mosley has been forced to heavily lean on his third-stringers. The bench mob has helped Orlando stay afloat, and Queen has been an impactful member of that group of unsuspecting heroes that also includes Caleb Houstan and Chuma Okeke. 

Defense is the main reason Queen has become a valuable part of Orlando’s lineup. The Magic boast one of the league’s best defenses and have built their identity on that end. Queen fits right in. Since entering the rotation, he’s been tasked with significant responsibility defensively, defending upwards of 15 shots on multiple occasions and being matched up with the likes of De’Aaron Fox and Anthony Edwards, and he has proven to be worthy of it. He’s a determined wing stopper with a high motor who works hard to make life tough for opponents. Whether it’s containing drives, disrupting the passing lanes, or delivering a sweet chasedown block, Queen is always making stuff happen on D. 

His numbers back up the tape. EPM (estimated plus/minus, a popular advanced metric) ranks him in the 85th percentile league-wide defensively. He is second on the Magic in steal percentage and third in defensive box plus/minus. 

Queen hasn’t produced much so far offensively, but he has a lot to offer on that end. He’s finished top ten in the G-League in scoring twice, after all. Small flashes of his scoring ability have come to light during his stint in Orlando, and if he continues to get real playing time, it could shine even brighter. The game isn’t all about getting buckets, though, especially as a role player. In the G, Queen can shoot whenever he wants (he’s averaged upwards of 18 field goal attempts in his past three seasons), but in the NBA he gets limited shots and has to find other ways to contribute. He’s displayed heads-up passing as a Magic, making well-timed extra passes and even making plays out of the pick-and-roll from time to time. This unselfishness and quick decision making, along with his defense, will help him fit into a role and solidify himself as a real NBA player.

Being a G-League superstar is no small feat, but Trevelin Queen plays with the goal of eventually making it to—and staying at—the next level. With the way he’s played for Orlando, he is well on his way to earning a guaranteed NBA contract and achieving that goal.