Top schools coming in for Matas Buzelis

2023 wing Matas Buzelis from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire has seen his recruitment soar over the last year, and now some of the top programs in college basktball are involved in his recruitment.

We caught up with Buzelis recently to talk about what schools have been coming in to see him, and what his future plans are on the recruiting front.

Buzelis has sprouted up a couple of inches over the last year, and he's now around 6-foot-10 with the ball skills of a guard.

That unique combination of size and skill has college coaches flocking in to see him wince the recruiting period opened up in September.

"I've had a lot of college coaches come recently," Buzelis said. "Head coaches have been here from UCONN, Syracuse, Kansas, Florida State, UNC, Michigan, and Kentucky."

Illinois was also at Brewster to watch him. Buzelis has a connection to the state of Illinois, and Brad Underwood is hoping those ties will play a positive role in the recruitment of Buzelis.

His parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Lithuania more than two decades ago, live in Chicago and he attended school there before transferring to the prep school.

"He's great," Buzelis said about Underwood. "He keeps it real with me, and that's what I like. I'm thinking of going to a visit there."

So far, Buzelis has taken trips to Purdue, Wake Forest, Kansas, Providence, DePaul, and his most recent visit to Florida State earlier this month.

He's not yet at the stage of trimming his list to a group of favorites, he said. What Underwood is selling is the home school angle, plus how the style of play fits Buzelis' game.

"It's close to home and they play at a really fast pace and share the ball. They're going to be good the next couple of years," Buzelis said.

In the latest Rivals.com rankings for the class of 2023, Buzelis shot up 15 spots to No. 27 overall. His ceiling is even higher, and he could eventually land in the top 10 nationally in his class.

His ball skills stand out to college coaches. Buzelis can handle the rock, shoot with range, and has a natural feel for the game.

"My versatility is the biggest thing," he said. "That's what they like to see. Sharing the ball getting everyone involved, and shooting. Just doing everything on the court."

He's listed as a small forward, but Buzelis has often been the primary ball handler for both on the summer circuit and at Brewster.

Buzelis can also knock down 3-pointers, and that's an area of his game that continues to grow, he said.

"I've been working hard for the last month," Buzelis said. "I'm going to the gym in the morning developing my shot. That's the most important thing for me."

He'll be able to play and guard multiple positions at the next level, but he thinks of himself as a lead guard.

"I'm really a point guard," he said. "I think people mistake me for a wing."