LOGAN, Utah - Utah State sophomore center Neemias Queta has been named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List, an annual award recognizing the top center in Division I men's collegiate basketball, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
"The final Men's Starting Five watch list we are revealing is that of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "Mr. Abdul-Jabbar is unparalleled when it comes to his accomplishments at both the collegiate and professional level. As an advocate for education and character, he brings an important perspective when evaluating talent and we greatly value his input."
Queta was one of just 66 players in the nation invited to the NBA Draft Combine last season after being named the Mountain West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year in 2018-19. Queta shattered the single-season blocks record at USU and helped the Aggies to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2011. Queta finished the year with 84 blocks, far surpassing the previous school record of 59, set by Shawn Daniels during the 2000-01 season. Queta led the Mountain West and finished 14th in the nation with 2.4 blocks per contest. He started the year with at least one block in 29 straight games, the longest such streak in Utah State history, and recorded at least one rejection in all but one game during the year. Queta recorded a season-high six blocks in two games this season, matching the third-most blocks in a game in Utah State history and setting a new Mountain West freshman record.
In addition to his defense, Queta finished second on the team with 11.8 points per game and led the team with 8.9 rebounds per game. Queta scored in double figures in 24 games and logged a team-best 10 double-doubles during the year. Queta's team-leading 312 rebounds during the year marked the first time an Aggie has surpassed 300 rebounds in a season since the 1976-77 campaign and marked a new USU freshman record.
Queta spent his summer as a member of Portugal's U20 team that captured the FIBA European Championship - Division B title, earning all-star five honors after grading out as the most efficient player in the tournament. Queta finished among the top-20 in scoring with 14.3 points per game (16th) and rebounding with 11.0 per game (3rd), and was one of only three players to average a double-double. Queta also finished second in the tournament with 2.0 blocks per game, including a tournament-best four in Portugal's opening round game against North Macedonia.
New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).
Queta and the Utah State Aggies host The College of Idaho in an exhibition contest on Wednesday, Oct. 30, before welcoming Montana State to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the home opener at 8 p.m.
Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).
2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Candidates*
Chase Jeter - Arizona
Nico Carvacho - Colorado State
Vernon Carey - Duke
Kerry Blackshear - Florida
Omer Yurtseven - Georgetown
Luke Garza - Iowa
Udoka Azubuike - Kansas
Steven Enoch - Louisville
James Wiseman - Memphis
Jon Teske - Michigan
Jeremiah Tillmon - Missouri
Armando Bacot - North Carolina
Nate Watson - Providence
Matt Haarms - Purdue
Nick Rakocevic - USC
Neemias Queta - Utah State
Isaiah Stewart - Washington
Derek Culver - West Virginia
Charles Bassey - Western Kentucky
Nathan Knight - William and Mary
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2019-20 season*
-USU-
