The National Basketball Association (NBA) has since made great efforts to increase its fan interest and player occupation to wider parts of the globe as many more international basketball talents have become mainstays on an active NBA roster for any one of the 30 decorated franchises that represent the top professional level of the sport.
There has since been a noticeable rise in foreign players that have made a significant presence in the NBA throughout the past few decades as there are several marquee international talents that represent the focal points of every NBA roster.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the league welcomed a number of international sensations to the States which featured prominent European names such as Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Toni Kukoc, Tony Parker and Peja Stojakovic who all carved their own legacies into NBA folklore and have become beloved icons that are fondly remembered by NBA fans.
In 2024, there is now a seemingly endless talent wave of NBA players who have originated from European countries with many more league scouts often aiming to scour out the next top Euro talent rather than the best prospects available within the US’ developmental leagues such as the NCAA or the G-League.
Some of the best European names in the NBA today include superstars such as Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama, as well as several other All-Star talents including Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Vucevic and Kristaps Porzingis.
The league’s presence and overall desire to encourage more international prospects to play at the highest level has since spanned to a variety of countries across Europe which now includes the sporting-mad nation of Portugal whose population has since aimed to produce several NBA-ready prospects who could make their own major impact at the top level of professional basketball, with these being some of the best names in the league today.
- Neemias Queta:
At just 24 years of age, the seven foot tall Center from Lisbon is already one of the best basketball talents that the nation of Portugal has ever produced as Queta became the first ever Portuguese player to be drafted to the NBA when the Sacramento Kings selected him with the 39th pick during the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
After two seasons in Sac Town which saw very minimal minutes of action played, from which he was able to average three points per game alongside two rebounds and almost a block a game on 49% shooting from the field, Queta was waived by the Kings before signing a two-way deal with the 17-time world champions Boston Celtics, who are also currently major title favorites according to the latest NBA finals odds on DraftKings.
While Queta has only made a small number of appearance on the Celtics hardwood, he has shown great flashes of quality which included his double-double showing against the Warriors back in a December 2023 loss.
His small cameo appearances allowed the Portuguese youngster to sign a standard deal with Boston earlier this year from which he since become a staple in the G League with the Maine Celtics where he recently enjoyed a dominant performance against the Long Island Nets with a 16 points and 19 rebounds stat line which propelled the Celtics to the 2024 G League finals.
Should Queta continue to impress both in the G-League and on the international stages, he could well and truly earn a spot back on an active NBA roster with any one of the NBA teams as he has already become a fan favorite across Portugal with many more talents already expected to join the league in the coming years.
- Gui Santos:
While Santos does not represent the nation of Portugal as he was born in Brazil and plays for the national side, he is from Portuguese descent and has since become an intriguing prospect that many clubs have kept a prominent eye on.
Santos is a 6’6 small forward who was previously selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the former world champions Golden State Warriors with the 55th overall pick.
During his rookie season, Santos mainly featured for the team’s G-League side named the Santa Cruz Warriors before signing a three-year deal with the ‘Dubs’ ahead of his sophomore season.
He is currently averaging around three points per game in just seven minutes of action on 51% shooting to go alongside two rebounds and one assist as a role player on a Warriors side that still has title aspirations due to their wide abundance of star talents such as future hall of famers in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Under the tutorage and guidance of long-time head coach Steve Kerr, Santos is in a fantastic destination for future development and could well become a major role player for the Warriors meaning that he is certainly a prospect that qualifies as a ones to watch candidate.
