Five-star Class of 2023 prospect Matas Buzelis, the No. 7 overall player according to 247Sports and a potential No. 1 pick contender in the 2024 NBA Draft, announced Wednesday that he has signed with G League Ignite. Buzelis had more than a dozen offers, including ones from Kentucky and Arizona, but chose the professional route where he will likely be a one-and-done in the fast-growing developmental league tailored specifically for blue-chip recruits.
G League Ignite has grown in a short time as a viable option for top-end recruits to develop in advance of the NBA with Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick in the draft in 2021, being the best example. In two draft cycles, the league has produced three top-10 picks — Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Dyson Daniels — and is expected to produce another in the coming weeks in potential top-three pick Scoot Henderson.
Buzelis is a 6-foot-9, 190-pound combination forward from Chicago who played most recently for Sunrise Christian in Kansas. He brings a rare skill set to the table that made his services in high demand, with a combination of size and playmaking that makes him one of the most exciting long-term prospects among draft-eligible players in 2024. Here’s what 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein wrote of him after scouting him last summer:
There is no other player in the class who can match his combination of size and playmaking ability, but he tends to hunt highlight plays off the dribble with a high-risk high-reward style that isn’t always efficient and can be turnover prone. Buzelis is very creative with the ball, especially in the open floor, albeit a little upright. He’s a solid vertical athlete who is also capable of utilizing his touch around the rim to make tough finishes with both hands. He converts at a very high-level inside the lane (63% on 2pt field goals per Synergy), but is much less reliable from behind the arc (27% on 3pt field goals per Synergy). Mechanically, his jumper also has an extended load up into a low release, although he’s made strides in his ability to get it off….
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/matas-buzelis-signs-with-g-league-ignite-five-star-sf-is-potential-no-1-pick-in-2024-nba-draft/
Author : Kyle Boone
Publish date : 2023-05-31 16:02:17
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