Many players from Europe make their way into the NBA. Many go outside the US to play in other countries. But what if you have the nationality of two countries? Something similar is the case with the current G-League Ignite player and a hot pick for the 2024 NBA drafts- Matas Buzelis. Let us see how his family has impacted the young player’s fate down the stretch.

The story of the nationality of Matas Buzelis

Matas Buzelis was born on October 13, 2004, in Chicago, Illinois. Hence, he holds the nationality of the US. However, his family reigns down from Lithuania, hence, he has a passport for that nation too. His father, Aidas, played professional basketball in the Lithuanian league.

Kristina, the mother of Matas Buzelis, was also a standout prospect of her time. She also was a part of the Lithuanian Youth National team. However, after Aidas’ retirement, the two shifted to Chicago, giving the 19-year-old hooper his Lithuanian bloodline.

Consequently, he grew up in America. His grandfathers and grandmothers too were athletic, giving the same DNA of athleticism to Matas. He played multiple games as a child and is a great swimmer. Nevertheless, that is not the only connection that the 6-ft-10 hooper holds with these two places.

Lithuanian hooper in his early days

Growing up on American soil, Buzelis started his basketball career in Hindsale Central on the outskirts of Chicago. Looking at his talents, he chose to move to Brewster Academy, New Hampshire, midway through his sophomore season. Next year, he further developed his game to average 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Consequently, he grabbed the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year honor. Interestingly, he had started his sophomore season ranked 46th by the 247Sports but ended it in the top 5.

Multiple college scouts started watching him as a potential star out of the high school. However, the forward had more surprises for everyone. Before transferring to Sunrise Christian Academy for his senior season to further broaden his visibility, he made a huge announcement. Back in July 2022, he committed to play internationally for Lithuania’s national team. Then, he told European media, “Lithuania is really good, and when I come over there, we’re going to win everything.”

In his senior year, the Lithuanian player averaged even better with 15.7 points. He also proved his defensive power with 5.6 rebounds per game. He shot 54% from the field, 42.4% from beyond the arc and 80% from the stripe. Subsequently, he participated in and collected the honors of Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American.

He also participated in the 2023 Basketball Without Borders global camp of the NBA All-Star Weekend and won the MVP award there. Major recruiting services gave Matas Buzelis 5-star rankings. But he chose to forego his college eligibility and directly entered the pro league, beginning with the NBA’s G League Ignite.

Lithuanian star in the NBA G League

Like anything, it is not always easy to move from one level to another without some difficulties. Hence, when the young star skipped college and directly moved to the G League, he too had to face some issues. The biggest one is the physicality of the professional world. As a kid who had just graduated from high school, many opponents targeted him and got easy points.

Then, Buzelis had broken his silence about the issues. He said, “The main thing is being physical in practice and just building calluses all over my body. Just playing against stronger people and having to utilize my body against them and also just being in the weight room, lifting every day.” According to an NBA scout on the No Ceilings website, Matas Buzelis was fighting an uphill battle in the G League.

However, everything turned out great in the end as the young athlete learned his lesson. He would go against his bigger and stronger opponents and finish the run. In fact, the entire process made him tough not just physically but also mentally. After going through the learning curve, he averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Turning heads through his immaculate display in the G League, Matas Buzelis overshadowed Victor Wembanyama’s debut.

As a result, he received an invitation to the Rising Stars Challenge. At the NBA All-Star Weekend, he gave everyone a memorable moment as well. Just before the buzzer, he made a bucket that boosted his team to win the game and advance into the Finals against Pau Gasol‘s team led by Wemby. He can certainly use this experience as he now heads to the NBA.

While he is being projected high up in the lines in the 2024 mock drafts, one flaw that he still carries according to many NBA scouts is his jump shot and playmaking. Nevertheless, his stellar skill set, versatility, defense, and rim protection can be his push for any team.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.