By Tom Orsborn, Sports reporter | San Antonio Express-News, 2024-05-15 11:05:37
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
内华达州亨德森——2023 年 9 月 8 日：在内华达州亨德森举行的 NBA G 联赛秋季邀请赛上半场，G 联赛点燃队的 13 号马塔斯·布泽利斯被珀斯野猫队的 0 号泰·韦伯斯特犯规。 （摄影：埃森·米勒/盖蒂图片社）
芝加哥——最受关注的新秀马塔斯·布泽利斯在 NBA 选秀大会上高举 G 联赛点燃队的旗帜。
“接近职业球员，磨练我的技术，并与最棒的球员对战，我的进步比大学快多了。”布泽利斯解释了为何他选择签合同以领薪，在进入 NBA 的过程中获得收入，而不是在精英大学项目中度过一年。
在 G 联赛于 3 月宣布 NBA 拥有和运营的球队已结束其最后一个赛季后，布泽利斯作为点燃队校友的荣誉感变得苦乐参半。
点燃队成立于 2020 年，允许预科明星与 NBA 老将和冉冉升起的新星组成的其他 G 联赛球队在职业水平上进行比赛，同时获得六位数的薪水，有时高达 100 万美元。
“在职业球员身边，你找不到比这更好的选择了，”19 岁的布泽利斯说道。
随着大学篮球领域“姓名、肖像和肖像权”（NIL）的兴起和转会平台的发展，点燃队的需求也逐渐消失。NIL 允许球员边上大学边赚钱。
点燃队的历史传承在于它在过去一个赛季里有九位校友进入 NBA，包括几位乐透秀。
布泽利斯是一位身高 6 英尺 10 英寸，体重 200 磅的立陶宛裔美国侧翼球员，他希望成为过去四年中第五位在选秀中进入前 10 名的点燃队球员——在这一时间跨度内最多的球员。该榜单包括杰伦·格林（2021 年被休斯顿队选中第 2 位）、乔纳森·库明加（2021 年被金州勇士队选中第 7 位）、迪森·丹尼尔斯（2022 年被新奥尔良鹈鹕队选中第 8 位）和斯科特·亨德森（2023 年被波特兰开拓者队选中第 3 位）。
另一位点燃队校友，前锋罗恩·霍兰德，也有可能在 6 月进入前 10 名。
布泽利斯场均为点燃队得到 14.3 分、6.9 个篮板、2.0 次助攻、2.1 次盖帽和 0.8 次抢断。他投篮命中率为 44.8%，三分命中率为 27.3%，罚球命中率为 67.9%。
布泽利斯的父母在立陶宛担任职业篮球运动员，他认为与拉斯维加斯团队一起过职业生活方式所获得的领先优势将帮助他在下赛季成为一名新秀。
“他们每天都会让我进行例行训练，”他说。“那是最重要的事情。在与最棒的球员竞争，并接受曾在 NBA 执教和训练过的最棒教练指导后，就能够做好上场准备。”
布泽利斯还受益于将亨德森视为导师的经历。这位控球后卫在五星新秀于 2022 年 6 月与点燃队签约后不久联系了布泽利斯。
“我大概一个月会和他联系两三次，”布泽利斯说道。
马塔斯·布泽利斯
布泽利斯是马刺队一个引人入胜的前景，而马刺队拥有第 4 和第 8 的总选秀权。他是一位具有现代侧翼球员的典型特质，包括体型、运动能力、三分线内的流畅投篮动作、组织比赛的能力和良好的带球终结能力，所有这些特征都可能使他成为长期适合与文班亚马并肩作战的人选。
“能与像文班亚马这样的球员并肩作战，将是一件令人惊叹的事。”布泽利斯说道。“他超级有天赋，能让他的队友打得更轻松。无论我最终效力哪支球队，我觉得我都会产生影响。”
在 2 月的全明星周末于印第安纳波利斯举行的新秀挑战赛的半决赛中，布泽利斯在 10 英尺外对位防守的投篮帮助德特莱夫队以微弱优势战胜了文班亚马的保罗队。
“这肯定会提升我的自信心，能与那些顶级球员对抗并展示我能与他们抗衡，”布泽利斯说道。“而且投进决定比赛胜负的一球对我来说是一个难忘的时刻。”
布泽利斯本赛季三分命中率很低，这可能会成为马刺队的一个危险信号，因为他们正在寻找能够拉开空间的球员，但他说上个赛季是个意外。
“我知道我可以投篮，”他说。“我知道数据并没有真正表明这一点。每个人都很担心这件事。我一点都不担心。我在日出基督学院（堪萨斯州）作为预科明星时三分球命中率达到 45%。我知道我能够投球。”
关于布泽利斯能否在更高一级比赛中进行良好的防守也存在疑问，但他指出了他在防守端的多功能性作为卖点。
“我觉得我在防守的所有位置都很自在，”他说。“在 NBA 防守大个子肯定对我来说是一个挑战，但我做好了准备，并且打算在这一年中增加体重。我觉得我可以防住从 1 到 5 号位置的球员。”
布泽利斯从很小的时候就立志在 NBA 打球。
这位芝加哥本地人早年在繁华的南环度过，后来他的家人搬到了郊区，布泽利斯很高兴能在自己的家乡参加联盟选拔。
“在芝加哥长大，我觉得我肩上有责任，”他说。“我随时准备好竞争。
布泽利斯在他的家乡芝加哥郊区的欣斯代尔在欣斯代尔中心中学开始了高一学习，后来在享有盛誉的新罕布什尔州布鲁斯特学院学习，多诺万·米切尔、T.J.沃伦和威尔·巴顿也在那里磨练技术。
到了日出基督学院的时候，布泽利斯已经收到了 30 份奖学金。但他选择参加 G 联赛。
“说实话，我总是知道我会进入 NBA，因为我非常努力，”他说。“我真的专注于此，而且我热爱篮球。因此，我认为从八年级起，我知道凭借我所付出的努力，我一定能进入 NBA。”
在这段旅程中，他的 AAU 教练和教练德米特里·皮尔辛一直陪伴在他身边。
“他真的让我融入篮球，”布泽利斯说道。“从我 13 岁开始他就一直陪着我。”
但没有什么比他在 G 联赛的赛季给他更多的信心。
“我觉得我比这里的所有人准备得更充分，因为我参加了 G 联赛比赛，我知道比赛是什么感觉，”布泽利斯说道。“我了解竞争，我了解比赛的对抗性，所以我感觉我比这里的任何人准备得更充足。”
原文如下：
After season with G League Ignite, Matas Buzelis ready for NBA
[Image] HENDERSON, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 08: Matas Buzelis #13 of G League Ignite is fouled as he dunks by Tai Webster #0 of the Perth Wildcats in the first half of an NBA G League Fall Invitational game on September 08, 2023 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
CHICAGO — Top-10 prospect Matas Buzelis carries the G League Ignite banner high at the NBA draft combine.
“Being around pros and working on my game and playing against the best, I just excelled so much more than I could have in college,” Buzelis said in explaining why he chose to sign a contract to get paid while working his way to the NBA rather than spending a year at an elite college program.
Buzelis’ pride in being an Ignite alumnus is bittersweet after it was announced by the G League in March that the NBA-owned-and-operated team had concluded its final season.
The Ignite started in 2020 and allowed prep stars to develop at the pro level against other G League teams made up of NBA veterans and up-and-coming young players while collecting six-figure salaries, or in some cases as much as $1 million.
“Being around pros, you can’t get a better option,” said Buzelis, 19.
But with the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal in college basketball, the need for the Ignite was eliminated. NIL allows players to earn money while going to college.
Ignite’s legacy will be the nine alums it had in the NBA last season, including several lottery picks.
Buzelis, a 6-foot-10, 200-pound Lithuanian-American wing hopes to become the fifth Ignite player to be drafted in the top-10 in the last four years —the most of any program in that span. That list includes Jalen Green (No. 2 by Houston in 2021), Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7 by Golden State in 2021), Dyson Daniels (No. 8 by New Orleans in 2022) and Scoot Henderson (No. 3 by Portland in 2023).
Another Ignite-ex, forward Ron Holland, could also land in the top-10 in June.
Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.1 blocks and 0.8 steals per game for Ignite. He shot 44.8% from the field, 27.3% from three and 67.9% from the foul line.
The son of parents who played basketball professionally in Lithuania, Buzelis believes the head start he received in living the pro lifestyle with the Las Vegas-based team will help him as a rookie next season.
“They prepared me by having a routine every single day,” he said. “That’s the most important thing. Being ready on the court after competing against the best players and having the best coaches that coached in the NBA and trained in the NBA.”
Buzelis could also benefit from having Henderson as a mentor. The point guard reached out to Buzelis shortly after the five-star recruit signed with the Ignite in June 2022.
“I talk to him maybe two, three times a month,” Buzelis said.
[Image] Matas Buzelis
Buzelis is an intriguing prospect for the Spurs, who own the No. 4 and No. 8 overall picks. He’s an archetypal modern wing with his size and mobility, smooth stroke from inside the arc, playmaking skills and ability to finish well off the dribble, all characteristics that could make him a long-term fit playing next to Victor Wembanyama.
“It would be amazing to play with a player like Victor,” Buzelis said. “He’s super-talented and he makes his teammates’ lives easier. Wherever I end up, I feel like I am going to impact.”
Buzelis’ 10-foot contested fadeaway clinched Team Detlef’s win over Wembanyama’s Team Pau in the semifinals of the Rising Stars Tournament during All-Star Weekend in February at Indianapolis.
“It raised my confidence for sure competing against those top guys, showing I could hang against them,” Buzelis said. “And hitting the game-winner was a memorable moment for me.”
Buzelis’ low shooting percentage from 3-point range this season could be a red flag for the Spurs as they look for players that can space the floor, but he said last season was an aberration.
“I know I can shoot,” he said. “I know the numbers didn’t really show that. Everyone is tripping about it. I’m not tripping at all. I shot 45% from 3 (as a prep star at) Sunrise Christian Academy (in Kansas). I know I can shoot the ball.”
There are also questions about whether Buzelis can defend well at the next level, but he pointed to his versatility on that end as a selling point.
“I feel like I am comfortable everywhere on the defensive end,” he said. “Guarding the bigs in the NBA is definitely going to be a challenge for me, but I am up to it and I am going to put on weight through the year. I feel like I can guard one through five.”
Buzelis has had his sights set on playing in the NBA from an early age.
A Chicago native who spent his early years in the city’s bustling South Loop before his family moved to the suburbs, Buzelis is thrilled to be auditioning for the league in his hometown.
“Being raised in Chicago, I feel like I got a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I am ready to compete at all times.”
Buzelis began his freshman year of high school at Hinsdale Central in the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale before playing at prestigious Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, where Donovan Mitchell, T.J. Warren and Will Barton also honed their skills.
By the time he got to Sunrise Christian, Buzelis had 30 scholarship offers. But he chose to go the G League route.
“I always honestly knew I would be in the NBA because I work extremely hard,” he said. “I really dedicate myself to this and I love basketball. So, I feel like since eighth grade I knew I was going to be in the NBA with the work I put in.”
Throughout his journey, his AAU coach and trainer Dmitry Pirshin has been by his side.
“He really instilled basketball in me,” Buzelis said. “He has been with me since I was 13.”
But nothing has given him more confidence than his season in the G League.
“I feel like I am more ready than all these guys here because I played in the G League and I know what it’s like,” Buzelis said. “I know the competition, I know the physicality of the game, so I feel like I am more ready than anybody here.”
By Tom Orsborn, Sports reporter , via San Antonio Express-News