Not everyone has time to watch a full G-League Ignite game (the product is not good), but if you have 18 minutes to spare, I spliced together every play, both good and bad, from one of Matas Buzelis’ games.
This type of scout is so much better than watching a highlight package. It’s embedded below.
If you don’t have the 18 minutes to spare and simply want my quick overview of the pick, here are some bullet points (or skip to the 16:50 mark to hear me talk about it).
Buzelis was a high blocks and steals guy in the G, which excites me for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a good proxy for athleticism. Second, watching the film, he has excellent spatial awareness. He doesn’t have a good wingspan, but his timing and understanding of where the ball is going makes him an underrated defensive prospect. He also has a great motor on that end.
That same high feel is evidenced by the way that he moves on the court. He understands spacing really well, which I was surprised by. It’s uncommon in the other prospects that I watch to see a player as young as him “get it.”
He shot terribly in the G but the form looks fine and I’m not too worried about it.
He’s way too weak right now. Said about almost every prospect but particularly true for him. Can he add muscle to his frame? That’s going to be crucial for him.
Overall, I liked the pick way more than I thought I would. Seems like great value at 11. I don’t think he’s going to step in and be great right away, but it’s easy to see the vision of the potential.