Neemias Queta, the towering Portuguese basketball star, recently opened up on a popular talk show. The NBA champion for the Boston Celtics proved he has a sense of humor to match his impressive height of 2.13 meters (about 7 feet). He wasn’t shy about the jokes folks make about his stature. Many often kid that his growth spurt came from “a lot of soup and yogurt.”
During his chat on “Isto é Gozar com Quem Trabalha” with host Ricardo Araújo Pereira, Queta laughed easily. Pereira jokingly asked if playing with “little squirts” was annoying. Queta shot back, “It better not be. Those ‘little squirts’ are the ones passing me the ball.” This candid moment aired on Sunday on SIC, giving fans a glimpse into his laid-back personality.
A Baller’s Journey and National Pride
Queta’s appearance came right after Portugal’s exit from the Eurobasket tournament. They lost to Germany in the Round of 16. Still, Queta had a strong showing, scoring 93 points over the event. That’s an average of 15.5 points per game. He ended up just 18 points short of becoming Portugal’s top scorer ever in European championships.
Pereira, known for his witty remarks, brought up why basketball isn’t as big as soccer in Portugal. He suggested it’s because people there are generally shorter. He even joked that in basketball, there’s a whole “paint area” made for tall players. Pereira then showed off his custom Celtics pajamas, which he wears while watching late-night games. Queta chuckled, adding, “My mother needs to get one too. She can’t stay up for the games.”
The Bling and the Banter
The conversation soon turned to Queta’s NBA championship ring. Of course, more jokes followed. Pereira questioned if Queta felt less attention for his NBA ring compared to the ring Cristiano Ronaldo gave Georgina RodrÃguez. He quipped, “It feels like that ring could buy the NBA.” Queta didn’t miss a beat. “That ring is no joke!” he said. “It could buy the NBA, the NFL, and everything!” He then added, “My ring is put away. If people don’t pay too much attention, no one will know where it is.” Queta, who wears number 88 for the Celtics, clearly values his hardware.
Before heading to the United States, Queta played for Benfica, a top Portuguese club. Pereira naturally asked if his NBA teammates ever bug him with questions about playing there. Queta responded, “I say good things about the club. They know that if they ever want to come, they have my word it’s a good place.”
Kardashians and Hometown Roots
Pereira saved one last playful jab for the end. Given that three members of the Kardashian family have dated or married NBA players, he wondered about Queta’s “turn number” in that lineup. The question made the basketball player burst into laughter. He quickly had an answer ready: “I don’t have a number! I’m not sure we’d ever see them in Vale da Amoreira.” That’s his hometown in Moita, a humble nod to his roots.