Marcelo and Montenegro congratulate Neemias Koita on winning the American League

In a message on the presidential website, the head of state praised the Portuguese Post for not giving up on his dreams.

“Dreams, both in sport and in life, no matter how difficult, can become reality through work, dedication and commitment, and Neemias Queta is a great example of how a dream born in the Vale da Amorera can become reality at the top of the world. sport. Congratulations to Neemias for not giving up on your dreams yet. May your example continue to inspire the Portuguese youth!”, can be read in the message from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Luis Montenegro also highlighted that Neemias Queta is the first Portuguese NBA champion.

“Another historic result for Portuguese sport. The Portuguese spirit lives and reveals itself every day. Congratulations to Nemeas and the Boston Celtics,” the head of government confirmed in a message on the social network X.

At the age of 24, Neemias Queta became an NBA champion with the Boston Celtics in his first season with the Massachusetts team and in his third season in the league, in which he was the first Portuguese basketball player to play, when he was selected in the draft of the Sacramento Kings in the year 2021.

It took Portuguese center Neemias Queta just three seasons and one season with the Boston Celtics to win the most coveted club basketball title: the North American Championship, the NBA.

The 2.13 meter Portuguese ‘giant’ has the coveted team prize, but his third season in the competition, after two in Sacramento, has been anything but a surefire one, despite breaking almost all his individual records.

In a team full of great players, even if not the 2023/24 champion, Neemias Koita had little ‘space’ to prove himself and rarely found himself in Joe Mazzola’s rotation, and his usage in the play-offs was almost zero.