Neemias jokes he's 'getting old' as rankings put him among the NBA's top 20 centers

BOSTON — Where does Neemias Queta stand in the NBA hierarchy following a breakout year in Boston? According to The Sporting News, the Portuguese center ranks 19th among the league's top centers, in a list headlined by Victor Wembanyama (Spurs), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Joel Embiid (76ers), and Bam Adebayo (Heat).

Sitting right above him at No. 18 is former teammate Kristaps Porzingis (Warriors), whom Queta previously backed up in Boston and whose durability remains a lingering question mark.

There is no longer any doubt that "Neemy," now 27, will be a vital piece in his fourth season with the Celtics and sixth overall in the NBA. Boston reaffirmed their faith in his development this summer by handing him a four-year, $56 million contract extension in July.

The biggest question heading into the season is whether he will remain Joe Mazzulla's go-to starter following the arrival of Mitchell Robinson from the reigning champion Knicks—a move that could prompt rotational adjustments to manage minutes and prevent injuries.

Usually understated, Queta remains confident in his role and has repeatedly stated that starting isn't his main concern. Entering his sixth NBA campaign, he laughed when reminded of the milestone: "Is it really going to be my sixth season in the NBA? I'm getting old… [laughs]. Time flies! But that's always how it goes: early on in training camp it feels slow, but once games and road trips kick in, you're at the All-Star break before you know it… It's incredible."

In 2025/26, Queta featured in 82 games (including playoffs), starting 80 of them (76 in the regular season). He posted career highs across the board with 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 25.3 minutes per game. Prior to that campaign, he had started just six times across 68 career appearances.

"Every year he's been with us, he has improved and taken on greater responsibility and autonomy, and that continues to happen. Last year, he truly developed into a reliable starting center, which is very hard to achieve in this league," Joe Mazzulla told A BOLA ahead of the matchup against the 76ers.

"[I expect him] to continue being that reliable starting big; to facilitate a bit; to finish and make plays for himself and his teammates when he gets touches; and to keep growing defensively across different schemes, taking that next step to do it all at an even higher level."

"He had a great offseason, he truly cares about getting better, and I really believe that will show in multiple ways this year. He just wants to do whatever is best for the team," concluded the Celtics head coach, who has championed Queta's development since Boston picked him up in 2023/24 following his release by the Kings.