Syracuse Basketball: Top-50 Matas Buzelis ‘serious room to move up’

Syracuse basketball 2023 prospect Matas Buzelis suited up at the Bill Hensley Run-N-Slam in Fort Wayne, Ind., this past weekend, and he caught the eye of a national recruiting analyst.

On the AAU circuit, the four-star Buzelis competes for the Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire. He is a sophomore at the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., and previously attended Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Ill., a Chicago suburb.

When the 247Sports recruiting service recently published its updated national rankings for the 2023 cycle, Buzelis checked in at No. 46 overall, as well as the No. 10 small forward and the No. 2 player in New Hampshire.

The 6-foot-8 Buzelis is a versatile prospect who can play small forward, point guard and shooting guard, according to some media reports that I’ve read on him.

Eric Bossi, the national basketball director for 247Sports, detailed in an article a handful of high-school players who “took the opportunity to get on the radar” at the Bill Hensley Run-N-Slam. Bossi included Buzelis in his story.

Syracuse basketball 2023 target Matas Buzelis is primed to rise in the national ratings.

"Check out what Bossi had to say about Buzelis. “Already a top 50 player nationally, Buzelis has serious room to move up. Pushing 6-foot-8 he’s got a high level of skill, can create off the dribble, attacks gaps and is a good athlete with range on his jumper. The only thing he’s lacking right now is strength but that should come as he matures.”"

The ‘Cuse coaching staff has gotten in early on with Buzelis, having offered him a scholarship last November. Over the years, the Orange has also done well recruiting guys out of the powerhouse Brewster Academy.

His offer list isn’t huge for now, but he’s also just a sophomore. Not too long ago, blue-blood team Kansas out of the Big 12 Conference offered Buzelis, as did former Big East Conference foe Providence.

Other offers that came to him further back include from strong Big Ten Conference team Illinois, fellow Atlantic Coast Conference group Wake Forest and Western Illinois.

As Buzelis continues to shine on the AAU circuit and for the Brewster Academy, his national rankings certainly have a great possibility to soar.

I could foresee him reaching five stars and top-25 overall in the 2023 class when all is said and done, and the offers are going to keep on pouring in for Buzelis.