Neemias Queta says he is not spending $100,000 to train with Hakeem Olajuwon, even after signing a four-year, $56 million extension with the Boston Celtics. The 27-year-old center said the deal gives him room to keep working the way he wants, not a reason to chase an expensive private session.
That answer landed now because Queta is coming off the contract that changes the shape of his next four seasons. He said the most important part was not the money but the fact that Boston believed in him for another four years, and that he can keep calling Boston home without worrying about what comes next.
Queta told A Bola that he is stingy and would not make an exception for Olajuwon. “No, I don't spend $100,000 on training,” he said, adding: “Not even with Hakeem Olajuwon.” The stance fits the way he described his offseason work. He said he can keep developing through individual work and Boston's player development program instead of paying for a premium outside workout.
What he is trying to improve is specific. Queta said he wants to get more comfortable switching onto smaller players and defending them one-on-one without help. He also said he is working on tighter ball control, more low-post creation, better floor spacing, a more consistent shot and a larger offensive impact. Those are the kinds of details that make the choice between a private training session and team-led development more than just a money question.
That is where the contrast sits. Queta just secured the biggest commitment of his career, yet he is drawing a line at one of the sport’s most expensive offseason options. He averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks last season, up from 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds the season before, and he appears intent on building from that leap with the tools Boston already gives him.
His view is simple: security matters more than a splashy workout. Queta said the contract lets him keep developing without looking over his shoulder, and that the next step is not a celebrity lesson but steady progress toward the 2026-27 season.
In a league where a bigger name often means a bigger summer bill, Queta is betting on repetition, structure and patience. The Celtics have their center back for four years. Now he has to show that his own method can carry him further than a $100,000 session ever would.
