Neemias Queta

Neemias Esdras Barbosa Queta (born 13 July 1999) is a Portuguese professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started playing basketball in 2009 for Barreirense and later played college basketball for the Utah State Aggies. A 7 ft, 250 lb center, he was selected with the 39th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, being the first Portuguese player ever drafted. He became the first Portuguese player ever to play in the NBA on 17 December 2021. As a reserve with the 2023-24 Boston Celtics, Queta won an NBA championship.

Early life and career
Queta was born in Lisbon, Portugal to Bissau-Guinean parents Mica and Djaneuba Queta. He was raised in Vale da Amoreira, in the municipality of Moita. He began playing youth basketball at age 10 with Barreirense after following his older sister to a tryout.

On 29 August 2018, Queta signed to play college basketball for the Utah State Aggies in the United States, as he had no other collegiate offers.

College career
On 19 November 2018, Queta recorded a freshman season-high 24 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in an 80–63 win over Saint Mary's. As a freshman, he averaged 11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, earning Second-team All-Mountain West, Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. He set the program single-season record with 84 blocks. He declared for the 2019 NBA draft before withdrawing and returning to college. Queta missed the first nine games of his sophomore season with a knee injury. As a sophomore, he averaged 13 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, repeating on the Second-team All-Mountain West and All-Defensive Team.

On 17 February 2021, Queta posted a career-high 32 points and 10 rebounds in a 79–70 loss to Boise State. On 12 March, he tallied 18 points, 14 rebounds and a school-record nine blocks in a 62–50 win against Colorado State at the Mountain West tournament semifinals. In his junior season, Queta averaged 14.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 2.7 assists per game. He was named to the First-team All-Mountain West and Defensive Player of the Year. Queta was one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. He broke his own program blocks record, ranked third nationally in blocks per game, and left as Utah State's all-time leader in blocks. On 29 March, Queta declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.

Benfica (2017–2018)
In the 2017–18 season, Queta played two professional games for Benfica in the Portuguese Basketball League. On 31 August 2018, he parted ways with Benfica.

Sacramento Kings (2021–2023)
Queta was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 39th pick by the Sacramento Kings, becoming the first Portuguese player to be drafted in the NBA. On 8 August 2021, he signed a two-way contract with Sacramento, splitting time with their NBA G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. On 17 August 2021, the Sacramento Kings win the NBA Summer League, beating the Boston Celtics, 100-67. Queta was a regular presence in all the games of the Californian team, which had not won the Las Vegas tournament since 2014, the year in which they defeated the Houston Rockets.

On 17 December 2021, Queta made his NBA debut against the Memphis Grizzlies, grabbing five rebounds and adding an assist and a block. He entered COVID-19 protocols on 21 December, but was cleared to return to the Kings on 30 December.

Queta made his return to the G League on 5 January 2022, recording 21 points and 12 rebounds for Stockton in a 103–80 win over the Birmingham Squadron. On 11 January 2022, Queta became the first Portuguese player to score points in the NBA, recording 11 points and 5 rebounds in a 109–108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Queta was named to the G League's inaugural Next Up Game for the 2022–23 season.

Even though he was not a regular option for the Sacramento Kings, Neemias Queta was the Californian team's most voted player for the 2022 NBA All Star Game. The Portuguese post received 88,534 votes from the public and also had one vote from an NBA player.

On 8 August 2023, Queta signed a standard contract with Sacramento, but was waived on 12 September.

Boston Celtics (2023–present)
On 19 September 2023, Queta signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics.

On 26 November 2023, Queta contributed with seven points and a personal record of 10 rebounds in the NBA to the Boston Celtics' home victory over the Atlanta Hawks (113-103). In the end, he was awarded a Tommy Award, an award that recognizes players who excel in their team's defense and who have an impact that cannot be translated into statistical data.

On 19 December 2023, in the Boston Celtics' 132-126 loss to the Golden State Warriors, Queta recorded his first double-double by notching 10 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes on the floor. He repeated the feat four days later against the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 14 points with 10 rebounds.

With a positive highlight this season in the colors of the Celtics, Queta came in 49th place in the Eastern vote for power forwards and centers for the 2024 All Star game, having collected 15,967 votes from fans, two from NBA players and none from journalists.

On 8 April 2024, Queta signed a standard contract with the Boston Celtics. The commitment came after the positive performances of the Portuguese center in the campaign of the Maine Celtics, in the G League, during the playoffs, which culminated in a performance of 16 points and 19 rebounds in the triumph against the Long Island Nets in the final of the Eastern conference of that league and consequent qualification of the team for the final.

With 19 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and one assist in just 19 minutes on the field in the victory (132-122) against the Washington Wizards in the last game of the regular season on 14 April 2023, Queta did something never before seen in the history of the NBA, achieving an unprecedented feat.

On 15 April 2024, he became runner-up in the NBA G League with the Maine Celtics having lost by the best of three games to Oklahoma City Blue.

On 7 May 2024, he made his debut in the NBA playoffs with 2 points and 2 rebounds in just under 3 minutes of play, in the victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers (120-95). On 14 June 2024, he debuted in the NBA playoff finals with 2 points and 1 block in about 5 minutes of play, in the defeat against the Dallas Mavericks (84-122).

Wearing the Boston Celtics jersey, after playing 31 games and scoring 141 points, Queta became an NBA champion on 17 June 2024.

On July 6, 2024, Queta signed a long-term contract with the Celtics.

National team career
Queta represented Portugal at the 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B in Estonia, where he averaged 10.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He competed at the 2018 FIBA U20 European Championship Division B in Bulgaria, averaging 14.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. At the 2019 FIBA U20 European Championship Division B in Portugal, Queta led the host nation to a gold medal. He averaged 14.3 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game, earning all-tournament team honors. In the semifinals, he suffered a left knee injury that sidelined him from the final.

Neemias Queta was chosen as the 2022 Personality of the Year for the Portuguese Basketball Federation, and for this reason his name was nominated by the FPB for the 26th Sports Gala, of the Portuguese Sports Confederation.