Former Mountain West star trying to prove he belongs in NBA

Neemias Queta is backmost successful acquainted surroundings, a spot wherever helium helped pb Utah State to back-to-back Mountain West tourney championships.

Those are moments helium continues to cherish. But overmuch similar erstwhile helium rolled into the Thomas & Mack Center successful 2019 and 2020 with his Aggies, Queta is connected a ngo with the Summer League Sacramento Kings.

Then it was to triumph the league tourney and suffice for the NCAA Tournament. Now it’s to beryllium helium belongs successful the NBA aft being drafted successful the 2nd round.

The Kings signed him to a two-way contract, meaning the 7-foot halfway tin play for the genitor and G League clubs and beryllium connected the progressive database for up to 50 games successful Sacramento.

Queta is trying to play catch-up with the Kings. He was injured successful a pre-draft workout, forcing him to miss grooming camp.

But he’s not a emblematic rookie. Queta played 3 seasons astatine Utah State, and that acquisition should assistance him arsenic helium tries to prime up the Kings’ strategy and accommodate to a overmuch higher level of play.

“He’s going done immoderate (rough) patches trying to recognize the connection and recognize the game,” Kings Summer League manager Bobby Jackson said. “He asks a batch of questions. He continues to privation to learn. He’s a hard worker.

“He’ll prime it up. He hasn’t truly had a batch of practice.”

Jackson not lone is moving the Summer League team, helium besides is the Kings’ G League manager successful Stockton, California, giving him the payment of moving adjacent much intimately with Queta.

Queta was known arsenic a premier antiaircraft subordinate for the Aggies, doubly earning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. He played a much accepted benignant of center, dominating the station and past play averaging 14.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots.

“I consciousness similar defence is the astir important portion of the crippled for me,” Queta said. “If you’re bully defensively, you’re ever going to find ways to score.”

If his antiaircraft crippled is NBA ready, Queta knows his discourtesy is the quality betwixt being successful Stockton and Sacramento. In 2 Summer League games, helium totaled 15 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.

On a play Monday against the Charlotte Hornets, Queta blocked a changeable and ran the magnitude of the level to propulsion down a dunk.

“That’s what we’re going to request him to do,” Jackson said. “We’re going to request him to anchor, support the rim, beryllium pugnacious astir the basket, assistance with antiaircraft rebounds and beryllium a precocious communicative feline for america portion we’re successful the G League.”

The connection constituent is already determination for Queta, who said it comes people to him.

“Pretty overmuch each squad I’ve been a portion of, I’ve been 1 of the astir vocal guys,” Queta said. “As a antiaircraft anchor, I’ve got to marque definite I’m successful the close spot. I’ve got to marque definite I archer radical wherever to beryllium erstwhile I spot something. It’s thing I’ve been doing my full career, and it’s translating into here.”

It’s each astir the Kings’ enactment present for Queta, who was an instrumental portion of Utah State’s success.

Some of that occurrence came successful Las Vegas.

“Those were bully times retired here,” helium said. “A batch of bully moments successful this gym, especially. But I consciousness it’s successful the past. I’ve conscionable got to deliberation of what’s next.”

Contact newsman Mark Anderson astatine manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 connected Twitter.