Which NBA great did Celtics’ Neemias Cueta turn to for rebounding advice?

In anticipation of the 2025-26 season Boston Celtics had a broken roster compared to years past. In addition to Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, the Celtics lost three valuable contributors to their title-winning roster in Jr. Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. They also lost Luke Cornett in free agency. This exhausted their front field – killing Neemias Cueta in action as the unquestioned starter in the top five in Bantown.

Keta showed in flashes last year that he belongs in the rotation. But starting games for a team with conflicting aspirations in the Celtics? That left many questions to be answered, especially when Quetta, in the past, struggled to control the boards.

But any comeback worries about Quetta are now nothing but a thing of the past. He was a monster Sunday night, posting his best game as a pro with 27 points and 17 rebounds in a 114-98 win over the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers. And funnily enough, Cueta revealed after the game that he had been in contact with 76ers big man Andre Drummond on how to be better rebounder.

“Big guys, pretty similar games. I watched him a lot (in Detroit). Anytime I can get some advice on how to get better, I’m just trying to do it so I can improve. And he’s always been on my side in things like that. … I appreciate him for that. That’s my guy,” Cueta said, via Celtics report Clutchian Dointer .

Neemias Cueta on how he turned to Andre Drummond for comeback advice:

“The big boys … (we have) pretty similar games.”

“He was always on my side.” pic.twitter.com/omu5rd6K4o

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 2, 2026

Neemias Cueta remains the first center of the Celtics

Despite that acquisition of Nikola VucevicCueta remained Celtics head coach Joe Mazzula’s first-choice center, and for good reason. He covers so much ground, both from a lateral and vertical standpoint, and his athleticism allows him to be a much better defender than Vucevic, especially at this point in their careers.

With Cueta under contract for one more year at $2.7 million, it’s a real steal for the Celtics.