Sacramento Kings Select Former Utah State C Neemias Queta
Jul 29, 2021, 9:46 PM | Updated: 9:51 pm
Neemias Queta #23 of the Utah State Aggies takes the court before the first round game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Assembly Hall on March 19, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Sacramento Kings selected Utah State center Neemias Queta with the No. 39 pick of the second round.
Queta averaged 14.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks at Utah State as a junior. He originally tested the waters after his breakout freshman season with the Aggies but returned to Logan after struggling at the 2019 Draft Combine.
The junior is one of the most decorated Mountain West Conference players in Utah State history, being named to the All-Mountain West, All-Mountain West Tournament, and All-Mountain West Defensive team in each of his three seasons with the Aggies.
The @SacramentoKings select former @USUBasketball star Neemias Queta (@nemi1599) with the No. 39 overall pick in the 2021 @NBADraft. #SacramentoProud #AggiesAllTheWay #NBA #NBADraft
📷: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/0yy4LmwW8i— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 30, 2021
Queta was also named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, and twice earned Defensive player of the year honors.
After being overmatched in his first trip to the NBA combine, Queta had a breakout performance in June scoring 15 points for his team on 6-9 shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds, and recording a block in his first appearance.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣!@nemi1599 x #SacTown#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/2yMZZWFU4g
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) July 30, 2021
He also measured exceptionally well during the anthropometric testing. Queta was the tallest player at the combine measuring in at 7’0.5 in shoes, while owning the longest wingspan at 7’4, and highest standing reach at 9’4.5.
Where will former @USUBasketball star @nemi1599 fit in the #NBADraft? He told ESPN today that he feels he can bring immediate defense and can soon be an offensive big similar to Bam Adebayo.#AggiesAllTheWay l @KSLSports pic.twitter.com/0SOVWGtOrc
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_KSL) June 24, 2021
“I just feel a lot more confident in my game and my skill set,” Queta said during the combine. “I feel a lot more confident in my body, I feel like I’ve evolved into an NBA player.
Queta is the second Utah State player selected in as many drafts, as the Milwaukee Bucks picked guard Sam Merrill out of Logan with the 60th and final pick of the 2020 draft. Prior to Merrill, the Aggie had gone 34 years without sending a draft pick to the NBA.
