Neemias Queta, C – Utah State, Mountain West Conference
One of the more unknown, but intriguing prospects heading into this season was Utah State big man Neemias Queta. In his freshman season, Queta started in all 35 of the Aggies games and averaged just under 12 points and nine boards a game.
On top of that, the big man shot over 60 percent from the field and averaged over two blocks per game. Queta tested out the NBA Draft waters, but ultimately he decided to return to Utah State for his sophomore campaign.
Unfortunately for him, the story of this season so far has been injuries. Queta missed the Aggies’ first eight games of the season due to a lingering knee issue that he suffered playing for the U-20 Portugal team in the summer.
He has since appeared in four contests for Utah State, but went down with what appeared to be another lower-body injury in the team’s most recent game against Florida. No update has been given on that situation.
Still, Queta remains on this list because of the potential he offers if he can just stay on the floor. At six-foot-eleven and 225 pounds, Queta has a chance to be a real presence in the paint at the next level.
His first concern is showing he can be durable, and after that, he’ll need to demonstrate improvements in his on-court skills. Lucky for him the season is still very young, and he has time to get back on the court and prove himself moving forward.