5-star forward Matas Buzelis sets Kentucky official visit
Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy forward Matas Buzelis will take an official visit to Kentucky on Dec. 21, he tells On3’s Joe Tipton.
Buzelis is the No. 10 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the country’s No. 6 small forward and the No. 1 prospect in New Hampshire.
The 6-foot-10 Buzelis has skyrocketed up recruiting rankings over the past few months, quickly becoming one of the top prospects available in 2023. He’s added seven offers since June, including Duke, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Florida State. Buzelis took an official visit to Wake Forest in August and another to Florida State in September.
He’s yet to earn a Kentucky offer, though it’s likely he could on his official visit in December. The Wildcats recently hosted five-star wing Justin Edwards, who picked up an offer on his visit.
Matas Buzelis has elite scoring potential
On3 National Basketball Analyst K.J. Smith sees multiple traits in Buzelis that translate not only to the college level, but the NBA game as well. One of the most impressive, Smith wrote, is his ball-handling ability.
“At 6-10, Matas Buzelis handles the ball like a point guard,” he said. “In his toolbox of tricks, he has hesitation dribbles and step-back moves that are extremely hard to guard given his seven-foot wingspan. His crossover is quick and deceiving, which is rare in a player that is his size.”
Smith also believes that Buzelis has an innate scoring gene, something that pairs well with his combination of size and skill.
“Buzelis has the scoring capabilities to take over games,” Smith added. “He can shoot off the dribble and spot for 3s. Since he is 6-10 and his shooting release point is higher than any guard, his jump shot is unblockable to the average defender.”