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NBA star Neemias Queta will lead Portugal’s team in the upcoming FIBA WC Qualifiers window. Portugal successfully completed the first part of the qualifiers with a record of 3-3 and is awaiting the start of the second round. In the first window, they will visit Spain on August 28 and host Georgia on August 31.
This summer, Mazzulla has taken that commitment to another level; it’s mid-July, and he has already spent time with four different players in four different parts of the world: Jordan Walsh in Texas, Baylor Scheierman in Nebraska, Hugo Gonzalez in Spain, and Neemias Queta in Portugal.
The SBC Summit 2026, one of the largest global events dedicated to the sports, betting and entertainment industry, taking place in Lisbon between September 29th and October 1st, promises a strong lineup this year. The highlight of the first day will be the keynote address entitled "Leadership in Sports Business ," in which Michael Jordan will take center stage. The legendary number 23 of the Chicago Bulls will share his perspectives and experiences not only as a sports icon, but also as a successful investor and philanthropist. Jordan will take the main stage alongside two other major figures in the international market: Carsten Koerl, founder and CEO of Sportradar, and Jason Robins, co-founder and CEO of DraftKings. This panel will discuss the transformation and evolution of modern sports, with a special focus on the convergence between technology, data management, and new dynamics of fan engagement.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla credited an offseason FIBA stint for Queta’s native Portugal for helping him turn the corner in his third season with the Celtics. “(When) he was playing in FIBA this summer, I thought he had a different approach to it. And then, just his growth,” Mazzulla said. “I think the evolution of his game, but also the evolution of his mindset, taking on the ownership and responsibility of what it means to be the starting center for the Celtics. He takes a lot of pride in that.” For his part, Queta credits simple repetition for his emergence, especially on defense. “Just being aware overall,” he said. “Just being able to capitalize on every opportunity … go through film, repetition on the court, workouts. We do a pretty good job of emphasizing stuff that we want to (know), and we really just go down that line.”
Neemias Queta: "You know it’s not going to be easy when you go against Germany. They’re the world champions for a reason. Very well-coached. A lot of talent, a lot of length, a lot of size. They play up-tempo. We got to make them play our game. Be physical with them. Don’t let them get easy layups in transition, easy scoring opportunities. Slow the game down and make sure they work for every bucket. We're not intimidated by Germany or anybody here in this tournament. We're just ready to go out there and compete."
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Latvia got back on track at EuroBasket 2025 with a much-needed 78-62 win over Portugal, improving to 2-2 in Group B. Kristaps Porzingis was the story of the night: after a frustrating shooting drought, he hit his first three-pointer and never looked back, leading a 27-7 second quarter that decided the game. The Latvian star finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and a block in 26 minutes, while Latvia’s ball movement was superb, with 14 assists on their first 17 field goals and 11-of-21 from deep in the first half. Portugal struggled to keep up, relying mostly on Neemias Queta’s 16 points and 7 boards.
The Basketball Federation of Serbia confirmed Meridian Sport’s report by announcing that Bogdan Bogdanović will not be able to help the national team in the rest of the championship “due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the game against Portugal in the second round of the group stage.” “Bogdanović has been diagnosed with a hamstring muscle tear that prevents him from continuing in the European Championship. In agreement with his club, the Los Angeles Clippers, the captain will undergo intensive treatment in the United States in the coming period to recover as quickly as possible,” the official KSS website stated.
Led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Serbia eventually found a way to a comfortable 80-69 victory, improving to 2-0 in Group A. The match began dramatically, with Filip Petrusev ejected after just four and a half minutes for punching in the belly. Petrusev, who admitted in the press conference that he did “a hard blockout, but it was a basketball play and I got hit, so it was up to the refs. I wish Petrusev wasn’t thrown out of the game”.
Jokic led the way with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Nikola Jovic with 18 points. Captain Bogdan Bogdanovic suffered an injury in the final minutes of the second quarter and did not return to the court.
Boston Celtics’ Neemias Queta was sensational in his EuroBasket debut for Portugal, scoring 23 points and grabbing 18 rebounds to help his country secure their first EuroBasket win in 18 years. It was a monumental moment for both Queta and Portugal. After the game, when asked what it meant to achieve a win with his national team, Queta emphasized that it felt even bigger than winning in the NBA playoffs. "It's debatable, you know," Queta said. "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)."
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NBA Champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Final Four participant with Zalgiris Kaunas. Alex Toupane brings over a certain resume, and he will play with FC Porto. The Portuguese will be participating in the 2025-26 Basketball Champions League Qualifiers, facing Falco-Vulcano Szombathely in the Qualification Round Tournament 3.
Bobby Manning: NEW @CelticsCLNS -- Part 1 on my week with Neemias Queta in Lisbon as he prepares to lead Portugal in EuroBasket this month then take on a big role for the #Celtics in 25-26: "We’re not really the group that everybody points out as the best, but we’re gonna prove them otherwise" pic.x.com/wc9bdOEPOY
Portuguese team Sporting CP has secured former Hawks player Cat Barber for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
While the NBA regular season is well underway, national teams are competing to qualify for FIBA tournaments held next summer. Luka Dončić, who takes pride in competing for his native Slovenia each opportunity he gets, will have a chance to do so again at EuroBasket after the national team’s dramatic 83-82 comeback victory over Portugal in Ljubljana. Dončić was eager to watch Slovenia’s two matches against Portugal, recently telling DallasHoopsJournal.com, “I like [their outlook]. They play in Portugal and then at home against Portugal. It’s exciting to watch. I wish I could be part of it, but obviously, I can’t. It’s going to be fun to watch, and I think we have a great chance.”