Getty Former New Mexico State guard Trevelin Queen is signing a two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers hit the ground running on the first day of free agency by adding three players. The first two – P.J. Tucker and Danuel House – had been rumored for weeks. The third guy? Not so much.
The Sixers inked Trevelin Queen to a non-guaranteed, two-year contract worth $3.3 million, with a partial guarantee in Year 1 (via multiple reports). The 25-year-old shooting guard became an unrestricted free agent on June 29 after the Houston Rockets declined to extend him a qualifying offer. Many experts predicted he would be a hot commodity on the open market. He’s got a silky-smooth shot, plays tough defense, and finishes aggressively at the rim.
Queen was named NBA G League MVP for the 2022-23 season where he averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists per game. He also earned G League Finals MVP while leading the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the G League championship. This four-minute highlight reel is insane.
Prior to Houston, Queen was a vital cog for New Mexico State where he led the Aggies in scoring average (13.2) and minutes (27.5) per game. He also topped them in field goal attempts (272), three-point field goals made (53), and three-point field goal attempts.
Trevelin Queen G-League regular stats last season:
25.3 points
6.6 rebounds
5.0 assists
3.4 steals
1.0 block
34.2% 3P% on 9.7 3PA
G-League MVP
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Epic Backstory: ‘Homeless, Kicked Out, Hungry’
Queen’s rise up the basketball ladder was a tough climb, to say the least. The 6-foot-6 standout attended three different junior colleges while bouncing around the country from Maryland to Florida, then back to Maryland, followed by a stop-over in California, before settling in at New Mexico Military Institute.
The Baltimore native originally committed to Western Kentucky, then a coaching snafu cancelled that plan. Queen accepted an offer at New Mexico State and the rest is history, well kind of. You don’t know the half of it.
“That isn’t even half of it. I didn’t even get into the details. I was homeless, kicked out, hungry,” Queen told Hoops Hype in April 2020. “I didn’t know what was next. When I was in California, there were 15 of us from rougher areas in Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago. We were in a retirement home and it was so small that if I farted, the neighbors could hear it. We had two bedrooms and nine air mattresses.”
Trevelin Queen on journey from JuCo to the verge of NBA: ‘I was homeless, kicked out, hungry’ t.co/qL5wEjo1E5
From the lowest point to the highest point: Queen earned 2019 WAC Tournament MVP.
“You know I came halfway through the season that year. I was naked,” Queen told Hoops Hype. “Everything felt Chinese to me. New system, new coaching staff … None of the pictures of us holding the trophies, I don’t remember any of it. I was just crying. I couldn’t believe it was real. Dreams came true.”
Queen Thankful for Sixers’ Opportunity
Queen was quick to retweet Adrian Wojnarowski’s report confirming his deal with the Sixers. He wrote: “I Truly appreciate the opportunity.” Philadelphia couldn’t officially announce the signing, but the general consensus has been positive around the league.
Queen has high upside as a playmaker off the bench, although he’ll have to impress the coaching staff this summer to earn minutes. More importantly, Queen’s cheap salary helps keep the Sixers roughly $36.2 million under the cap apron. James Harden is expected to negotiate details on his contract over the weekend.
Sixers hard cap update following signings of P.J. Tucker, Danuel House, and Trevelin Queen.
Roughly $36.2M below the apron but can create more space if they waive a non-guaranteed player. Sixers still on track to re-signing James Harden to a starting salary in the mid $30M range
