The Boston Celtics have taken a chance on Neemias Queta as a starting-caliber center in 2025-26. It was a bold move considering Queta had played 110 games across four seasons before the severe influx in playing time he's received during the current campaign.
After the Sacramento Kings seemingly wrote Queta off as a player who wasn't worth a spot in the rotation, the Celtics are learning that all he needed was time and patience.
Queta played the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the Kings, appearing in 15 games as a rookie and five as an NBA sophomore. He was active in 28 during his first season with the Celtics in 2023-24, however, and appeared in 62 in 2024-25.
Queta has started all 31 of his games played in 2025-26, offering clear reminders of why he was a two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Queta isn't just starting games and hoping for the best, but providing positive value to a 21-12 Celtics team. He's playing 24.6 minutes per contest, scoring in double figures on a regular basis, and anchoring one of the best defensive interiors in the NBA.
Boston may very well proceed with an expected trade for a star-caliber center, but there's no way around how Queta has become a legitimate NBA player with a team that believes in him.
Neemias Queta needed the time and patience the Kings never gave him
Queta has exceeded all expectations in 2025-26 with averages of 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.9 offensive boards, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.8 steals in 24.6 minutes per game. Each of those numbers far exceeds his previous career-best averages of 5.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 offensive boards, 0.7 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.5 steals per contest.
Queta's individual success has directly translated to team glory, as Boston is 11-4 when he scores at least 10 points and 8-8 when he plays but fail to.
Beyond the box score, Queta has been a legitimately elite defensive presence for the Celtics. He's obliterated the pick and roll, ranking in the 99th percentile in screener mobile defense and the 97th percentile in screener rim defense, per Basketball Index.
Queta also ranks in the 95th percentile in rim deterrence, the 92nd percentile in rim defense, and the 85th percentile in rim disruption, per Basketball Index.
The results have been remarkable from a team perspective. Boston currently ranks second in the NBA in points allowed in the paint and, despite widespread personnel losses, 15th in defensive rating. Queta deserves significant credit for the team's success.
Thus far in 2025-26, the Celtics are allowing 108.7 points per 100 possessions when Queta is on the court and 115.8 when he isn't—a drastic difference of 7.1.
From a second-round draft pick who never got the chance to learn by fire to a starter on a No. 3 seed, Queta's journey has been remarkable. He's broken barriers as the NBA's first Portuguese player and has never allowed adversity to break his spirit.
Thankfully, the Celtics realized something about Queta that the Kings never managed to: With consistent opportunities to gain NBA experience, he was destined to become a quality player.