Why you should draft Neemias Queta
Great beaches, sunny weather, marvelous food, Cristiano Ronaldo, fado or a rich history. There are a lot of things to identify Portugal with, but none of them is the production of NBA talent. Yet. Neemias Queta is looking to change that this year, putting Portugal in the NBA radar. I am going to tell you why you should invest in him ASAP.
Early Life
Neemias was born in Lisbon in 1999 to Guinean parents and spent his childhood in the south margin of the river Tagus, in Vale da Amoreira. He started playing basketball at Barreirense as a 10 year-old and stayed there until 2017, when he moved to Benfica’s B team. After one year there, he moved across the Atlantic to join the Utah State Aggies.
College Career
Queta quickly made a name for himself at Utah State, becoming a crucial part of the Aggies’ rotation, collecting heavy minutes. Despite this, he didn’t receive much attention from NBA teams and stayed in college. Until 2021 came around. The physical, psychological and technical development of Neemias couldn’t be overlooked anymore. He became the best player for the Aggies, ended the season averaging a double-double and was coronated the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, among many other accolades.
Physical Profile
Standing 6–11 without shoes (7–0.5 with) and a 7–4 wingspan, Neemias is a modern center, ideal for today’s NBA, offering size and mobility to his team. His 9–5 standing reach and 10.5 inches wide hands are really impressive and were all records in this year’s NBA Combine. There’s obviously a need to gain some muscle for a better fit in the NBA, but that shouldn’t deter teams. Everyone that comes in the NBA needs to add some weight and does it. For now, his ability to move and his explosiveness are really enticing for teams, as he continues to develop.
Rim Protection
Starting off by what Queta does best. And he does it better than, probably, every prospect in this year’s draft. Neemias is already an elite paint and rim protector, creating problems to everyone that tries to get into “his” house. According to InStat, Neemias held opponents at 35% on shots at the rim and was the leader in blocks (3rd in blocks per game), defensive win shares and defensive box plus/minus in all Division I.
But Neemias’ influence in the paint goes beyond his blocks. It’s impressive how much space those long legs and wingspan cover, making life miserable for attackers inside. He can quickly contest a shot and react to a pass, contesting yet another shot. Queta usually stays upright and rarely goes for shot fakes, but will jump with an offensive player and usually win that race.
Defending Drives
Today’s NBA demands for a center to be able to switch and do some work on the perimeter. Queta is that guy. He can defend more mobile centers and is switchable at times. Has really good lateral quickness and is especially quick to recover after being beaten off the dribble. His impressive length allows him to give a bit more space and be able to still contest shots and be more in control of the man he’s guarding.
Defensive Rebounding
Neemias is a good example of someone who does his work early and well. He is really capable of helping and returning to his man to block out as far off the basket as possible and guarantee his rebound. He uses his lower body really well to withstand contact and lowers his center of gravity to better position himself for the rebound. Queta was 3rd in rebounds this season in Division I.
Defensive Transition
Queta’s mobility and speed come into play in transition. Even if he starts his run late, a bit of deceleration by the attacker creates a good enough window for Queta to come into the play and redirect the shot. With a good pace, long strides and an ability to track down the shot and time his jump, you better look in your rear-view mirror because he will be coming at full force.
Post Game
Switching to the other side of the floor, where Queta has a longer way to go, but also where he has improved the most since his first days in Utah State. He was used a lot on post-up situations, something that won’t happen as much as he enters the NBA, but an interesting part of his game nonetheless. He doesn’t have a lot of moves he usually goes to, but his fadeaway on the left block, going for the baseline is a development in his game and something he is becoming more comfortable doing. Aside from that, he shows nice footwork and good touch on hooks and baby hooks, which can help while he develops physically.
Passing
The most underrated part of his game and something that differentiates Queta from most rim runners. His ability to pass the ball is a real improvement in his game (he averaged 2.7 assists per game in 20/21) and he finally finished a season with a positive assist to turnover ratio. He does most of his passing from the low post, reading the help side and hitting shooters with pinpoint passes. He can also get away from double teams to assist and became a much better one-handed and on-the-move passer, although he is still a bit raw in that last regard.
Pick and Roll
It was actually a rare occurrence, seeing Queta involved in pick and rolls in his last season at Utah State. But that may be his offensive role at the start of his career in the NBA. He is a good roller, attacks the open space quickly and follows the ball, being able to rise up as soon as he catches the ball or go up for the lob. His screens, however, need some work. He leaves too early and doesn’t use much strength and that can become a problem against some of the perimeter defenders the NBA presents.
Mid-Range
Another overlooked part of his game that he developed in college. Neemias is a competent mid-range shooter, on pick and pops or following teammates’ drives. That isn’t to say that he is a prolific scorer from there, but he will hit some shots from there and it is an area where he has developed, because he didn’t even think to shoot at the start of his college career. He shot at a 37% clip this last season, on 30 attempts, but his shot looks good and repeatable. There’s clearly promise in this area (his shot was a topic of discussion at the combine, for the right reasons) and it’s a part of his game that can differentiate him and guarantee him a longer NBA career.
Offensive Rebounding
Queta’s intelligence is on display on the offensive boards. He follows shots really well, looks for open spaces and guesses where the ball will fall. If he wins position, it’s almost guaranteed that he will be coming away with the rebound, because of his ability to maintain his position and seal the defender. His high jump, reach and explosiveness give the finishing touch for a guy that averaged 2.9 offensive rebounds a game last season.
Offensive Transitions
Projected to be a rim-runner, Queta’s ability to get out in transition will be appreciated. As a center, it’s actually amazing how he can run with the guards in the open court for easy baskets. Again, his intelligence shows when sealing defenders as he wins the front and his speed puts him in advantageous positions against most centers in the league in fast break situations.
Summary
If you’re still not impressed by Neemias’ game, I don’t know what more I can do for you. A defensive beast that can protect the paint and switch is ideal in today’s NBA. Adding to that an ever-evolving offensive game that makes him more than a roller and projects him into a really useful offensive player in the future, there is really no downside to choosing Queta in Thursday’s draft. Plus, your team will gain more than 10 million fans overnight and your Queta jerseys will sell out. Neemias Queta is a safe and exciting choice for anyone in this year’s draft, so yeah, you should do it.
