Matas Buzelis Thread

[Straight forward]

So how's you mission to make Murauskas a PF is working?

There's universe between Murauskas and Buzelis skillet. Murauskas is destined to play 4 at PRO even if he play 3 too in Lietkabelis ATM.

[Straight forward]

To give you better explanation, figure out why Mirotic playing entirely 4.

[Straight forward]

Another wave of positive feedback after Buzelis' showing up in the game. That flexibility and shiftness. We have a special breed.

Now we have the recipe. Take 2 Lithuanian PRO basketball players: male + female. Let them reproduce a boy. Allow American BB school to do the rest...

https://twitter.com/BallerTV/status/1589251952185339904

[Straight forward]

Buzelis reads the double team D perfectly. The IQ and skill definitely there for a 6'10:

https://twitter.com/droppingdimes20/status/1592241114731667456

[Straight forward]

Look at this ISO action. Ridiculous. Special shiftness, handles, coordination for such size. We literally never ever had anything like him as a prospect. Is there anyone even close? I would mention young Dilys, maybe Karnisovas in a away, but they are not even close Buzelis. Even all Europe wise I think Kukoc wasn't so on ball skilled player as Buzelis, specially in terms of handles, slashing, shiftness. Franz Wagner probably is a good comparison, but I think and hope Matas will be smoother and even more guard skilled with such size than Franz. Special specimen coming. I hope no-one will bulk him up like Kukoc. Stay thin and sneaky tough as Manu or P. George. Hope he can be true point forward for us, true game changer:

https://twitter.com/MiaHeatFilmRoom/status/1595795836490874882

[Straight forward]

Stroke looks good already. With that size he will have his shots rather comfortably:

https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1599198451430223872

https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1599194637948039168

[Straight forward]

Old video, but had to post here because of those jerseys!

https://twitter.com/TheMacIrvinFire/status/1278049592211320832

[Straight forward]

Buzelis getting stronger, you can see he's different than a year ago. I would pay some to see current Murauskas and Buzelis going at each other That would be heck of battle. If those 2 matched in U20...pfff...it's over, you can not even start it

https://twitter.com/BuzelisMatas/status/1609728499476058112

[Straight forward]

Buzelis drops 23 against elite defender. Showed a great touch in this game. He's the biggest enigma in LTU BB ATM. I mean what is his level? Could he survive 10 minutes in the NT or too soft yet? IMO, the skill is already there. The question is his toughness and mentality. It's hard to evaluate the contact level where he's playing ATM. But this dude Cooper Flagg looks tough and Buzelis felt comfortable against him.

The three is falling, fade away mid rage jimmies falling, tear drops falling and he's a beast in open court. Matas is a ticking bomb.

https://twitter.com/YT_Bllen/status/1611348526721818626

[Straight forward]

Another standout game for Buzelis. 19pts, 5rbs, 4blk. Seems like he's more and more comfortable with the three (3-5). Hitting buzzer beaters. The comparison with Franz Wagner appeared. IMO, good comparison. Offensively they on the same soil and Buzelis may even be more nuanced to some extent, Franz is better defensively, but Buzelis has some tools to be good too.

https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1611886624857620480/video/2

"Matas Buzelis led the way to a dominant SCA win over IMG, scoring 19 and making a constant defensive impact, racking up blocks and deflections. Buried the 3 both off-the-catch and off-the-dribble, and made plays for teammates as a facilitator."

https://twitter.com/_proinsight/status/1611956565912784896

The G-League Ignite commit knocked down an array of self-created & spot-up jumpers. Dynamic & creative scorer who oozes with upside.

https://twitter.com/TonyMcNiff2/status/1611885090681790472

[zalias]

Buzelis drops 23 against elite defender. Showed a great touch in this game. He's the biggest enigma in LTU BB ATM. I mean what is his level? Could he survive 10 minutes in the NT or too soft yet? IMO, the skill is already there. The question is his toughness and mentality. It's hard to evaluate the contact level where he's playing ATM. But this dude Cooper Flagg looks tough and Buzelis felt comfortable against him.

The three is falling, fade away mid rage jimmies falling, tear drops falling and he's a beast in open court. Matas is a ticking bomb.

https://twitter.com/YT_Bllen/status/1611348526721818626

it doesnt matter how good he is currently, NT should invite him to the summer camp just to secure him for the future no matter how he looks

[Dreamcatcher]

it doesnt matter how good he is currently, NT should invite him to the summer camp just to secure him for the future no matter how he looks

For this case the camp is not enough. It should be an official game i think.

[Straight forward]

What if Buzelis is the most skilled white 6'10 bb player ever? (competing with Kukoc, F. Wagner, P. Stojakovic, D.Schrempf, Gallinary)

https://twitter.com/GlobalScouting_/status/1614730775328423940

[Straight forward]

Buzelis on why he's putting on G League jerseys instead of NCAA next season:

“[What this offers is] just focusing on basketball, weight lifting, just playing basketball every day. Playing against professionals,” Buzelis said. “The pros [of playing in the G League] is playing against good players every day.”

“They have NBA schedules, NBA practices, NBA 3’s, NBA rules ﹣ everything,” Buzelis said. “They don’t have that in college.”

https://scstudentmedia.com/inside-matas-buzeliss-decision-to-play-for-the-g-league-ignite/

Realistically this summer is kinda open for him to come to Lithuania. In 2024 summer he'll be drafted and won't come. Rookies after first season loves to have individual work outs in the first off season so 2025 will also be at stake (that's what Domas did in his first off season, but it also had to do with the fact he got traded). I hope to see Buzelis balling for 2025 EB team already, like making impact already, but it may not happen till 2026 realistically (isn't that no tournament year?). It would suck if we would see him only in 2027 WC though...

[Straight forward]

Jonathan Givony take on Buzelis. from Hoophall Classic.

There's highlights:

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1616448348902555648

And there's the text:

Matas Buzelis | 6-10 | SG/SF
Sunrise Christian | 2023 | Committed to G League Ignite

Playing his fourth game in five days, Buzelis did not have a great showing by his standards against No. 1 Montverde (2-for-11 FG), but still showed many of the traits that make him an interesting long-term prospect as a 6-10 guard who impacts the game on both ends of the floor.

Buzelis plays point guard for Sunrise, one of the most stacked teams in high school basketball, and brings an interesting blend of ballhandling, feel for the game, fluidity changing speeds, shot-making and instincts off the ball defensively. He's still at a very early stage of development physically, weighing just 183 pounds at the Nike Hoop Summit last April. This makes it difficult for him to play through contact on both ends of the floor, especially as a primary initiator where he's struggled at times (including at Hoophall) posting nearly twice as many turnovers as assists this season, per Synergy Sports.

After shooting just 27% for 3 in 23 Nike EYBL games last spring and summer, Buzelis is off to a much better start thus far this season, shooting 44% from beyond the arc in 15 games (and 77% from the free throw line), per Synergy. That's partially due to the fact that he's seeing more time playing off the ball, where he's really at his best as a high-level connector who passes ahead in transition, makes the extra around the perimeter, moves off the ball intelligently and uses touch passes, his heady drive and kick game. He can handle, pass and finish around the basket with both hands, even if his decision-making is still a work in progress at times, and has great touch on his short-range attempts, showing the ability to rise up over the top of smaller defenders, which is important for him since he doesn't have the strength to simply power through or the explosiveness to blow by opponents from a standstill.

Defensively, Buzelis' weak frame, upright stance and struggles getting through screens makes him somewhat of a mixed bag at the moment, especially when asked to stay in front of smaller opponents. He does play with a good motor and shows tremendous timing off the ball plugging gaps, being in the right spots and rotating for blocks instinctually -- things he should be able to harness at higher levels as his frame continues to evolve.

Buzelis' physical development over the next 18 months should give us much better insight into how he projects long-term, as he's bound to be somewhat of a polarizing prospect for some NBA executives due to his unique profile. The fact that he's showing increasingly impressive shot-making prowess and has such strong basketball instincts on both ends of the floor in addition to his tremendous size ultimately gives him a very high upside, but there will continue to be ups and downs with his productivity.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/35482732/hoophall-classic-bronny-james-reconfirmed-top-two-way-player-status

I hope Buzelis won't rush with adding weight which off course will be necessary long term, but please keep him away from Raptors and D. Casey Good to hear his shooting % increasing.