GEICO Nationals: Sunrise Christian's Matas Buzelis bypasses college for NBA G-League

It’s not often that an athlete’s decision to turn pro costs him money.

But that will likely be the case for Sunrise Christian (Kan.) senior Matas Buzelis, one of the nation’s top high school basketball players.

Last summer, the 6-foot-10, 195-pound Buzelis elected to sign a one-year deal with the NBA G-League Ignite, bypassing reported offers from a slew of college basketball powers including Kentucky, North Carolina and Duke.

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Buzelis realistically could have made more in Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals from playing one season in college than he will from the Ignite. Instead, he chose the opportunity to develop his game in relative obscurity over regularly playing nationally televised games for a blueblood program.

“I want to play against the best and I want to work on my body every single day,” said Buzelis, who plans on entering the NBA Draft in 2024 where early projections have him as a top 5 selection. “That’s what I think is going to get me to the next level.”

Founded in 2020, the California-based Ignite is dedicated to helping young prospects like Buzelis develop their games prior to entering the NBA. While only five G-League alums have ever been selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, four have come from the Ignite.

In 2021, the Houston Rockets drafted shooting guard Jalen Green with the No. 2 pick, the highest to date for a G-League player. Green, ESPN’s No. 1 ranked player in the Class of 2020, was the first player signed by the Ignite, earning an estimated $500,000.

That same year, Scoot Henderson signed a two-year, $1 million contract with the Ignite as a 17-year-old coming out of Kell High School in Marietta, Ga. He’s expected to be the No. 2 pick in June’s NBA Draft behind overseas sensation Victor Wembanyama.

Buzelis, whose parents both played professional basketball in Lithuania, grew up outside of Chicago in Hillsdale, Ill. Before joining Sunrise Christian for his senior season, he played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire where he was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. He earned the same honor in Kansas after starring for Sunrise Christian this season and was also selected as a McDonald’s All-American.

Less than 48 hours after playing in the McDonald’s game in Houston, Buzelis scored a game-high 17 points to lead Sunrise Christian to a 46-45 win over top-seeded Montverde Academy in the quarterfinals of the GEICO High School Nationals Thursday at Suncoast Arena in Fort Myers.

“I was tired; my legs were hurting,” said Buzelis, who played all 32 minutes in the win for Sunrise, which had lost two previous meetings with Montverde this season. “But I had to pull through and we did.”

Buzelis’ unique style of play was on display against Montverde, who entered GEICO ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN. He possesses a Swiss army knife array of skills, equally comfortable bringing the ball upcourt and operating from behind the 3-point line as he is in the post.

“His ceiling is stupid high,” Sunrise Christian coach Luke Barnwell said following his team’s win over Montverde. “He’s got crazy versatility with his size and length and athleticism. His best basketball is still beyond what he’s doing right now.”

Beyond his obvious physical skills, Barnwell said it’s Buzelis’ attitude and approach to the game that truly sets him apart from similar elite prospects.

“There’s not a better kid,” Barnwell said. “He’s a coachable, humble, loveable, happy, joyous kid. You believe in him because all of the intangibles are there on top of the talent and upside.”

Barnwell added that Buzelis’ decision to bypass college for the G-League makes sense because it will allow him to play in a style that will showcase his strengths as a player.

“I think spacing is what he needs because he’s a really cerebral player,” Barnwell said. “In college, sometimes the game gets muddied up; he’s really good in the open court and sometimes teams really slow it down in college. So I think it’s a really wise decision by his family to play in that NBA-style system. That’s what’s going to prepare him for what he’s going to be in the future.”

Buzelis said he’s in frequent contact with Ignite head coach Jason Hart, who’s pointed out the need for him to get stronger and improve his ball handling.

“I’m looking forward to just getting to work,” Buzelis said. “Just waking up and getting better every single day.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: GEICO Nationals: Matas Buzelis to skip college for G-League Ignite