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Utah State’s Neemias Queta Declares For NBA Draft
Aggies elite freshman is off after one year?
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Huge shock for Utah State
Utah State was looking to build something special after the first year of the Craig Smith era which saw the Aggies win a share of the Mountain West title and make the NCAA Tournament.
However, there is some bad news in Logan, Utah, with big man Neemias Queta announcing on Twitter that he is declaring for the NBA Draft with an intent to hire an agent.
“After discussing with my family and coaching staff, I have decided to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA and will declare for the 2019 NBA Draft. I plan to hire an agent with the full intent of staying in the draft, while also retaining my eligibility should I return to school.”
https://twitter.com/nemi1599/status/1116846177973080066
Here is his more of his statement thanking Utah State.
“First off, I want to thank all of you for the most amazing year of my life. Coming from Portugal to Utah as a 19 year old man, I never could’ve expected all of the amazing events that would unfold over the next year. From winning the conference championship to making the NCAA Tournament and building lifelong relationships along the way, I’ve loved every minute of it.”
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To say this is a big blow is an understatement for the Aggies program. Queta was named freshman of year, defensive player of the year, and was named to the second-team all-league.
Queta was a huge get for the Aggies coach to find him in August to join this roster. He very quickly became one of the key players for Utah State’s best season ever in the Mountain West.
This loss knocks the Aggies down a bit going into next year because Utah State with Queta is projected to be one of the best teams in the Mountain West, and Fox Sports had them as the ninth team in the country.
With Queta test the draft waters, we will keep you all updated on where he might land once mock drafts start popping up as it gets closer to the draft day. Who knows maybe he will return to Utah State if his status is not favorable.
Head coach Craigh Smith commented on Queta’s decision and his going to help him throughot.
“We are excited for Neemias to go through this process. It will be great for him to test himself against some of the best basketball players in the world,” USU head coach Craig Smith said. “The new rules in testing the NBA waters will give him an accurate assessment of where he stands. This should be a positive experience for him.”
The timeline for early-entry into the NBA Draft is as follows:
- April 21 is the deadline for early-entry draft candidates
- April 22-May 29 – NBA teams can conduct or attend workouts with early-entry players
- April 26-May 3 – NBA Draft Combine and G League Elite Camp invitations sent to invitees
- May 12-14 – G League Elite Camp (Chicago, Ill.); May 14-19 – NBA Draft Combine (Chicago, Ill.); May 29 – NCAA (post-combine) withdrawal deadline.
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