Matas Buzelis: Choosing the G League over college is like a cheat code

Matas Buzelis: I picked Ignite because at the end of the day you want to be a professional basketball player –  that’s everyone’s goal. So, why take a different route like college where you’re not playing NBA rules? You get to play NBA threes, shot clocks, everything. So it’s pretty much like a cheat code, I’d say.

MB: No, I wasn’t really paying attention to all the players. Of course, I was watching. Because, they’re part of the program. But I wouldn’t say any player brought me into Ignite, I just thought that was the best choice for me.

MB: The differences I’d say from high school is that you don’t really have a routine. In high school I didn’t really have a routine, like I would just go on with my day, and whatever happens, happens. But like now, I’m on a really strict routine on what I have to do and doing the same thing every day. I’d say that’s been the biggest difference.

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MB: At first I was struggling with the conditioning part. But as I worked harder and focused more on that, they got way easier, but I didn’t really struggle with anything.

MB: Honestly, I’ve never had that problem. I was always a person who has stayed focused my whole life.

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MB: I’d say John Jenkins. He was in the NBA before for like three NBA teams. He’s like 32 years old and still killing. Taking care of his body and everything. So I take example from him that I can play a long time.

The biggest thing that he’s taught me was the routine part of basketball. Because as I was saying at Sunrise Christian [High School], I didn’t really have a routine. So building that routine here [helped]. He also brought me into meditating, taking care of my body way more, and talking with mental strength coaches.

MB: I wouldn’t want to be like any player. I take stuff from every basketball player. Whenever I see a good move, I steal it right away. But I wouldn’t say I want to be like those players. I want to be my own. I always steal moves. I steal moves even online, from random people.

I was watching the Suns play yesterday and KD had this one move in the post where as soon as he caught the ball, he spun off right away and shot. So I stole that. I tried to work on it today.

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MB: I didn’t. My coach always told me that the league is turning into 6-foot-8 guards. I never really viewed it as that. I’d say it’s a little bit of an advantage for me. But like, the height doesn’t really matter. Even if I was like 6-foot-3, I’d still be trying to be the best basketball player.

MB: I’d say catch-and shoot, making moves off the dribble, posts, and mid-range. But also, I’ve been working on my defensive versatility. In practice, I try to work on guarding one to five. Even though maybe I’m never gonna guard the five, but I always am eager to learn new things.

I have Amir Johnson here who used to play the center and I just ask him all the time about guarding the post. Even if I’m not going to guard the post, maybe a switch happens and I’m gonna have to. So I’m always eager to learn.

MB: At the Nike Hoop Summit, I’d say I had a moment of clarity where it’s like a lot of basketball players are good from around the world, so it’s not just the U.S. So I think having that experience helped me a lot, knowing that there’s players from Europe, Africa and everywhere. So it was cool to have that.

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MB: I think I’m the best player in next year’s draft because whoever drafts me is gonna get a person who is always positive no matter how dark the moment is, but also I’m whatever role they want me to play. I’m going to play the best of my abilities.

MB: I’d say Harrison Barnes. I worked out with him in L.A. I talked to Buddy Hield, Donovan Mitchell a little bit, KD also.

KD told me to just be myself, so that kind of stuck with me. I don’t have to hide anything, I just have to be me.

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MB: On a scale of 1-10 excitement, I am at a 11 for sure. I started playing Call of Duty when I was probably about I’d say like seventh grade. So me and my brother used to play like on the weekends a lot when we were out of school. I remember playing with him for hours. I mean, we used to play Black Ops 2. That was my favorite one.

I play mostly on the weekends, I try to stay focused during the weekdays. I don’t really play with like a lot of friends. I just play with one friend back at home, and my teammates play on a PS5. So, I don’t really get to play with them as much.