Kings’ Neemias Queta dunks on competition in G League Next Up Game at NBA All-Star Weekend
Kings two-way player Neemias Queta is a big man who made a big impression in a G League showcase game at All-Star Weekend.
Queta, a 7-foot center from Portugal, produced a series of highlight-reel plays in Team Scoot’s 178-162 loss to Team Luka in the G League Next Up Game on Sunday at Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.
With Shaquille O’Neal sitting courtside and numerous NBA scouts and executives in attendance, Queta finished with a team-high 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot. He went 10 of 12 from the field, throwing dunk an assortment of eye-popping dunks, and knocked down his only 3-point attempt from the left corner.
Sharife Cooper had game-highs of 27 points and eight assists for Team Luka. Captain Luka Garza had 23 points and eight rebounds. Trevelin Queen and Saben Lee scored 19 points apiece.
Leonard Miller had 19 points and eight rebounds for Team Scoot. Captain Scoot Henderson, one of the top projected picks in the 2023 NBA draft, had 19 points and six assists.
Queta, 23, starred at nearby Utah State, where he was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference selection. The Kings selected Queta with the 39th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He is in his second season with the Kings on a two-way contract.
Queta appeared in 15 games for the Kings as a rookie last season, becoming the first Portuguese player ever to appear in an NBA game. He has only appeared in four games this season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per contest.
He hasn’t been able to establish himself as a rotation player in Sacramento, but he has dominated at the G League level with the Stockton Kings. As a rookie, he averaged 15.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 2.2 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game. This season, he is averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 blocks in 31.4 minutes per game. He had a season-high 38 points in a win over the Santa Cruz Warriors on Nov. 26.
Kings All-Star De’Aaron Fox offered his assessment of Queta’s game when asked about him Saturday in Salt Lake City. Fox started by noting that Queta is a social media sensation back home in Portugal.
“They go crazy for Neemie,” Fox said. “If Neemie’s in the post, it’s going to have a thousand comments on it, so they ride for their own. They ride for their country and it’s definitely a great thing to see.
“I think he has a lot of room to grow. I think he’s very raw right now, but he’s extremely athletic, big hands. I think once he learns the game and learns pretty much how to play, I think he’s going to be really good, because I think he has the skill and I think he has the athleticism to play in the league. It’s funny because (former Kings player development coach) Rico Hines used to call him ‘Process Jr.’ like (Joel) Embiid, so once he really learns the game, I think he’s going to be really good.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2023 at 2:15 PM.
