Ahead of the July 29 NBA Draft, we’re taking a look at potential Brooklyn Nets draft picks with players that have been projected for the Nets through mock drafts. Analysis of individual players has been drawn and summarized from these external media outlets and does not reflect the views of the Brooklyn Nets.
The 2021 NBA Draft is deep in intriguing big men who still have room to grow and develop and you can count Utah State’s Neemias Queta among them.
SAYS WHO?
Players tend to move around the boards and perspectives differ among mock draft prognosticators, but Queta has uniquely been projected for Brooklyn in three completely different spots among the Nets’ four picks. TANKATHON was highest, slotting him to the first round for the Nets in late May. NBA DRAFT ROOM liked him at No. 44 in late June right after the lottery locked in the draft order, while NBADRAFT.NET suggested him at No. 59, the next-to-last pick in the draft, in early July.
SO, WHO IS HE?
Queta is from Portugal and began to draw interest from American colleges after his summer performances in international age-group competition. By the end of his freshman season he was among mid-major players drawing NBA Draft buzz as well. At 7 feet and 245 pounds, Queta was measured with a 7-4 wingspan and 9-3 standing reach at the 2019 NBA Draft combine. He ended up spending two more seasons at Utah State before committing to the draft this year after his junior season.
WHAT’S HE DONE?
Queta made the All-Mountain West First Team this past season and the Second Team the two years prior and was the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in both 2019 and 2021. He led the Aggies to Mountain West tournament championships in 2019 and 2020 and an at-large NCAA Tournament bid in 2021 while averaging 14.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks and shooting 55.9 percent. Queta has international experience with in three FIBA Europe age group tournaments for Portugal, winning gold in the Under-20 event in 2019 while averaging 14.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
Even after making a strong impression as a freshman, Queta has continued to develop his game every year. He’s grown on the offensive end, where he’s skilled with the ball in his hand both as a distributor and a finisher with solid post moves, a soft touch, and the ability to finish with either hand. On the defensive end he brings toughness and effort, is strong defending the post, and his size and reach makes him a promising rim protector. Similar to the projections that targeted him specifically for Brooklyn, he’s all over the draft boards, as high as No. 22 in THE ATHLETIC down to No. 61 from ESPN.