It’s a quote heard around the world. After Maryland’s thrilling March Madness win over Colorado State Sunday night, reporter Andy Katz asked Terps freshman star Derik Queen, who hit the buzzer beater, where he got his confidence from. Queen smiled and said, “So, I think I’m from Baltimore. That’s why.”
It’s a relatable quote to many who live here. Baltimore is a city full of people who are loud and proud about where they’re from, what school they went to and what they’ve accomplished. Baltimoreans don’t allow the noise of larger neighboring cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York to drown out their strengths. And one of Baltimore’s long-known strengths is back on the national stage — its strong, rich history of basketball.
From Muggsy Bogues to the late Reggie Lewis to Sam Cassell, Baltimore has always had a plethora of talent on the court. It had seemed to quiet down a bit over years, but with the emergence of WNBA star Angel Reese, her brother Juju Reese, who decided to stay at Maryland to finish his career, and the rise of the freshman star Queen, Baltimore has found their stride, once again, as the blue-collar city with a lot of hidden gems and great talent.
“Yesterday showed you the grit and grind that folks attribute to Baltimore, in general,” says former Maryland power forward and Baltimore native Rodney Elliott. “[Queen and the Reeses] are from Baltimore, their roots are here and for them to be able to showcase their talent on a national level is fantastic.”
“[Queen and the Reeses] are from Baltimore, their roots are here and for them to be able to showcase their talent on a national level is fantastic.”
Former Maryland Power forward and Baltimore Native Rodney Elliott
It was Angel who just a couple of seasons ago, became a National Women’s College Basketball Champion when LSU defeated fan-favorite Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Everyone remembers the infamous “You can’t see me” hand motion that Clark used in their win against Louisville that looked like it was directed toward Hailey Van Lith. The next week, Reese taunted Clark with the same exact gesture on her way to the national title. While Reese was immediately portrayed as a villain, many people from Baltimore viewed it as a relatable gesture to remind people that Baltimore will always match the energy you give out. And they’ll finish anything you start.
As Maryland prepares for their Sweet 16 matchup against a tough Florida Gators team, who many have winning it all in their brackets, it doesn’t matter. The Crab 5, with Baltimore at the wheel, are confident they can move forward.
The basketball resurgence in Charm City has been a fun ride. And it’s only the beginning.