It’s not every day that a player puts an entire country back on the basketball map. But that’s exactly what happened when Neemias Queta stepped onto the floor for Portugal in their long-awaited EuroBasket return. The Boston Celtics big man didn’t just play well; he delivered one of the most dominant debuts in the tournament’s history, carrying his nation to a win 18 years in the making, but it was his post-game comment that truly turned heads.

In Portugal’s 62-50 win over the Czech Republic on August 27, the 26-year-old center went off for 23 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting. He dominated the paint, pulled down 18 rebounds, while swatting four shots and picking up two steals in over 30 minutes of play. In doing so, he became the first player since 1995 to notch at least 20 points and 15 boards in their EuroBasket debut, per FIBA. He even drained a three-pointer — the first of his professional career.

As remarkable as his performance was, Neemias Queta’s post-game comment became the real story. When asked how it felt to lead Portugal to such a rare victory, he didn’t hesitate: “It’s debatable, you know. I feel like, over here we haven’t really won, like you said, since 2007. I’ve won a bunch of playoff games in the past, so (it feels bigger).”

That single comparison, placing Portugal’s EuroBasket triumph above his NBA playoff victories, sparked immediate debate. After all, this is the same player who was part of the Boston Celtics’ 2024 championship squad. For some fans, his words came across as a slight toward the NBA’s prestige, especially when measured against just a group-stage win.

But others see the comment in a different light.

Portugal isn’t exactly a basketball powerhouse, and Queta is the country’s first and only NBA player. To carry his nation to a long-awaited EuroBasket win carries an emotional weight that outsiders might not fully grasp. In that sense, his statement wasn’t a dismissal of NBA playoff intensity but rather an acknowledgment of what it means to elevate a small basketball nation on the international stage.

Neemias Queta’s perspective makes more sense when you look at his career arc. A native of Lisbon, he was a key bench player for a Celtics team that won the 2024 title, but his minutes were limited. His 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game over four NBA seasons contrast sharply with his role at EuroBasket, where he is the undisputed leader and centerpiece of a team that hadn’t won a tournament game since 2007. For Portugal, the victory means everything, and for Queta, the triumph of elevating a small basketball nation on the international stage feels personally more rewarding than his championship minutes.

Beyond the stat lines and soundbites, though, Queta’s EuroBasket performance has major implications for the NBA.

Queta’s Leadership and Upcoming Battles

With Kristaps Porzingis traded, Luke Kornet gone, and Al Horford potentially on the way out, Queta suddenly finds himself in line for major minutes heading into the 2025-26 season. His EuroBasket dominance could be the perfect audition for a starting role, especially in a frontcourt rotation that desperately needs answers.

Coach Joe Mazzulla and GM Brad Stevens have already expressed confidence in his growth, and his performance against world-class competition will offer a clearer picture. Meanwhile, his next test is the biggest one yet: a matchup with Nikola Jokić and Serbia on August 29.

For Queta, it’s a dream showdown: the three-time NBA MVP versus the lone Portuguese NBA player. That game will serve as the ultimate test of whether Queta’s EuroBasket debut was just a flash of brilliance or the start of something more enduring for both his country and his NBA career.

Neemias Queta has managed to turn a single EuroBasket game into a national celebration, an international talking point, and an NBA storyline all at once. His bold remark may divide opinion, but it underscores how much this journey means to him.