The big man spoke on Saturday at his court dedication in Cambridge, Mass.
On Saturday, Boston Celtics big man Neemias Queta dedicated a new basketball court in Cambridge, Mass.
The court pays homage to his home country of Portugal and you can see the design below. It's part of "Hoopers," which seeks to connect people through basketball.
But in addition to the court unveiling, Queta also spoke about some basketball-related topics, including the team's offseason signing of fellow big man Mitchell Robinson.
Speaking with reporters, including those from CLNS Celtics, Queta made it clear he's not worried about Robinson infringing on his playing time. In fact, he's happy to have Robinson on the Celtics, indicating that he's thrilled to play alongside someone who is such a great rebounder, and he's also happy to not have to go against him anymore. He also praised his ability to guard multiple positions and called him one of the best rebounders the league has ever seen.
Even though Queta doesn't seem worried about it, how the playing time shakes out will be very interesting for head coach Joe Mazzulla. Will Boston go with any "double-big" lineups? Or, will they start one and play the other equal minutes off the bench?
And then what happens to Luka Garza and first-round draft pick Chris Cenac Jr.?
The Celtics also figure to be a three-point shooting team again this season, so how do Queta and Robinson, who are not shooters, factor into things on the offensive end?
Queta played in 76 games last season for the Celtics, averaging 10.2 ppg and 8.4 rebounds. A 7-footer, he's certainly capable of scoring a bit and aiding in rebounding and defensive efforts. He's active and athletic, and is still just 27 years old. He's a five-year veteran of the Sacramento Kings and Celtics. His 10.2 ppg last season were nearly double that of any previous season in his career (5.5 in 2023-24).
He signed a four-year extension worth $56 million with the Celtics this offeason.
He also just represented Portugal at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, playing very well.
Portugal is hoping to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 28-year-old Mitchell Robinson is an eight-year veteran of the Knicks, where he blossomed into a very solid player. He appeared in 60 games last season, starting 16 of them. He averaged 5.7 ppg in just over 19 minutes, finishing eighth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. He, along with Jalen Brunson, helped the Knicks the NBA title by beating the San Antonio Spurs.
He signed a three-year deal worth nearly $50 million this offseason.
