Benfica Gifts Jerseys to Neemias and Joe Mazzulla

In early March, images of RTP journalist João Nunes in Boston went viral. Nunes, who had covered the Celtics' 120-100 victory over the Mavericks and interviewed Neemias Queta, questioned coach Joe Mazzulla about the Portuguese center's importance and growth within the team. This occurred at a time when all eyes were on Jayson Tatum's return, ten months after Achilles tendon surgery.

“Are you a Benfica fan too?” Mazzulla immediately shot back, catching the reporter off guard and leaving him somewhat flustered. “No, no… I usually follow basketball,” Nunes replied. “Just making sure,” retorted the coach — who has led the Boston franchise since 2022/23 and won the title the following season, with Neemias already on the roster — before praising the Portuguese international's development.

Beyond basketball, 37-year-old Joe Mazzulla is passionate about martial arts (particularly jiu-jitsu) and soccer, with a keen interest in the Premier League. The coach enjoys the beautiful game, especially England's top flight, even incorporating soccer dynamics into certain training sessions. He maintains a close friendship with Pep Guardiola. Mazzulla has spent days observing Manchester City's training, with the Spanish manager returning the favor by attending the NBA Finals in 2023/24.

However, the Benfica moment garnered the most attention. After commending Neemias' patience and hard work in understanding his role as a key center for a club like the Celtics, Mazzulla concluded: “He’s a good guy, and I think he’s a Benfica fan.”

Mazzulla knew what he was talking about. Before heading to Utah State University in pursuit of the American dream, Neemias represented Benfica's B team in 2017/18, even playing four games for the senior squad in the league.

A BOLA has learned that Benfica seized the opportunity, leveraging André Costa's trip – from Hoopers, the company that organizes Neemias' training camps in Portugal and in which the center is an investor – to present the player and coach with two official soccer jerseys.

The gifts included the traditional red jersey and the special black edition designed by Vhils. All items featured personalized details: Neemias' jerseys bore the name 'Queta' and the number 88, which he wears in the NBA; the coach's jerseys featured 'Mazzulla' and the number 21, which Joe wore during his basketball days at West Virginia University. André Costa delivered the gear to Neemias, who was then tasked with surprising his coach.

This coming Sunday, the Celtics, strong contenders for the Eastern Conference Finals, are set to face the 76ers at TD Garden to kick off their first-round playoff series. This marks their 12th consecutive season reaching the playoffs, making the Boston club the team with the longest active streak of not missing the postseason.