Former USU Big Man Neemias Queta Wins NBA Championship With Boston Celtics
Jun 18, 2024, 11:34 AM | Updated: 11:39 am
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after Boston's 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON, Massachusetts— Former Utah State center Neemias Queta’s circuitous journey through the NBA culminated in an NBA championship, as the Portuguese-born big man helped the Boston Celtics to their NBA record 18th title.
The Celtics clinched the NBA title on Monday, June 17.
RELATED: Former Aggie Center Neemias Queta Inks New Deal With Boston Celtics
Drafted 39th overall out of Utah State in 2021 and now NBA CHAMPION in Year 3… Neemias Queta! pic.twitter.com/oWdNhdqkBS
— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024
Queta averaged 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds on 64.4 percent shooting in 28 games this season. He played 13 minutes in the 2024 postseason, grabbing three boards and adding four points for the eventual World Champion Celtics.
About Neemias Queta
The first Portuguese-born player in NBA history has traveled a long road to becoming an NBA regular. When the 24-year-old center signed with Utah State in 2018, he had no other college offers to play basketball.
Queta was named Mountain West All-Defense all three years with the Aggies while setting multiple school records along the way. The seven-footer was named MW Freshman of the Year and MW Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 after setting the program’s single-season record for blocked shots with 84.
As a sophomore, Queta averaged 13 points, 7.8 boards, and 1.7 blocks while making MW All-Defense and Second-Team All-MW for the second time.
Neemias Queta: "I can't describe it. Guys worked all year round just to get to this point, so I guess we just get to celebrate now."
"Hopefully I get to (bring the trophy to Portugal)."
Full interview: https://t.co/sVyKq63Kx8 pic.twitter.com/5o2zOXG6TP
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) June 18, 2024
In his junior and final season at Utah State, Queta set the school record for blocks in a season (97) and blocks per game (3.3) while scoring 14.9 points and hitting 55.9 percent of his field goal attempts. He finished the season with his only First-Team All-MW selection and his second MW DPOY award. Nationally, Queta was recognized as the USBWA District VIII Player of the Year, the Bleacher Report National Defensive Player of the Year, and was one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Sacramento Kings selected Queta with the 39th pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He signed a two-way contract with the Kings and made his NBA debut on December 17 of that year. He became the first Portuguese player to score points in an NBA game, finishing with 11 points against Cleveland on January 11, 2022.
Queta signed with Sacramento in 2023 but was waived a month later.
In September 2023, the former Aggie signed a two-way deal with the Celtics and has been with the franchise since
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s coverage of the Bees, Big League Utah, and Aggie athletics here.
