Syracuse Basketball: Big-time interest rises for 4-star target Matas Buzelis

Syracuse basketball got in relatively early on with elite 2023 prospect Matas Buzelis, however, I have a feeling that his recruitment is going to blow up in the near future.

We recently detailed how the four-star Buzelis performed well at the Bill Hensley Run-N-Slam in Fort Wayne, Ind., according to Eric Bossi, the national basketball director for 247Sports.

On the AAU circuit, the 6-foot-8 Buzelis plays for the Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire. He is a sophomore at the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., which is one of the best prep-school programs around the country and has sent numerous guys to the ‘Cuse over the years.

Buzelis may have flown a bit under the radar for a period of time, but those days are likely gone. The 247Sports recruiting service recently came out with updated national rankings for the 2023 cycle, and Buzelis is four stars, No. 46 overall, No. 10 at small forward and No. 2 in New Hampshire.

Bossi and other recruiting insiders have said that Buzelis absolutely could climb further up in the nationwide ratings for his class. Given his size, length, athleticism and versatility, Buzelis would thrive in the Orange’s 2-3 zone, as some media reports have indicated that he can play small forward, point guard and shooting guard.

Syracuse basketball 2023 prospect Matas Buzelis primed for stardom in his cycle.

The ‘Cuse coaching staff offered a scholarship to Buzelis last November. Other offers have arrived from blue-blood school Kansas, Big East Conference member Providence, Wake Forest out of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and Western Illinois.

Additionally, a new offer has come in for Buzelis from Florida out of the Southeastern Conference, per a tweet that we’ve shared below. This recent 247Sports piece has a headline that reads, “2023 four-star SF Matas Buzelis updates recruitment, talks Michigan interest.”

In recent months, I’ve read other articles that suggest Michigan could be interested in Buzelis. I haven’t seen an offer yet from the Wolverines, but if one ends up going out to Buzelis, that will prove huge for him.

Michigan had a fabulous 2020-21 campaign and has crushed it on the recruiting trail of late. Should the Wolverines get into the mix, along with Kansas already there and presumably many others down the road, Syracuse basketball will have a massive challenge on its hands if it wants to land this talented 2023 player.