Celtics' Neemias Queta Has Something to Prove After ESPN Snub image
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Neemias Queta has even more motivation heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.
On Tuesday, ESPN began its countdown of the NBA's top 100 players for the upcoming season. The ranking opened with players Nos. 100-51 and featured two Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard at No. 70 and Paul George at No. 67.
While Pritchard and George cracked the first portion of ESPN's rankings, Queta was nowhere to be found.
The 27-year-old instead found himself on ESPN's list of 10 players to watch for next season's top 100.
"Boston's net rating was 8.6 points better with Queta on the court than when he was off, and his defensive metrics were particularly stellar," wrote ESPN's Zach Kram. "Opponents made just 51% of their shots at the rim when Queta was the closest defender, which ranked seventh among 71 players who defended at least 200 shots.
"The counterargument is that Queta has played at that level for only one year, and he struggled against Joel Embiid in the playoffs. But he and Mitchell Robinson could form one of the NBA's most potent big man duos this season."
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The No. 39 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Queta is coming off his best NBA season yet. He started 75 of 76 games last season while averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He also shot 65.3 percent from the field, the third-highest mark in the NBA, while making 70.3 percent of his free throws.
Queta finished fourth in Most Improved Player voting behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Duren and Deni Avdija.
Queta had a legitimate case to crack ESPN's top 100 after his breakout season, but as Kram noted, he's only played at that level for one year. Still, ESPN's decision gives him something to prove this season.
Queta will have a chance to show last season was no fluke and earn a spot in ESPN's next top 100.
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