The 2023 NBA Draft is just around the corner, but two hot prospects for 2024 also made major changes today. Matas Buzelis and Ron Howard will play for G League Ignite next season, according to multiple announcements. Ignite now has arguably its most impressive recruitment class.
News of Buzelis’ engagement came first, via a team statement. The 6-foot-10 guard from Hinsdale, Illinois is ranked No. 5 senior in the ESPN100. At Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks on 53.7 percent shooting. It was 43.7% deep.
After leading his team to a 22-8 record, the Lithuanian-American was named the 2022-23 Gatorade Kansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year. ESPN predicted that Buzelis would be selected first overall in a 2024 simulation draft earlier this year.
Shortly after Ignite shared Buzelis’ announcement, No. 2-ranked Ron Holland followed suit. The 6-foot-8 forward has already committed to Texas. That wouldn’t have been far off Duncanville High School, where he averaged 20.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. Holland was the 2022-23 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. He led the Panthers to a 29-1 record, earning offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, UCLA and Memphis.
Buzelis commented, “Ahahhahahahhaahhahahahaha”, on Holland’s Instagram post about the news, likely a devilish laugh regarding how stacked Ignite will be this season.
The duo will join Thierry Darlan, London Johnson, Dink Pate and Babacar Sane in Henderson, Nevada.
Ignite was founded in 2020 to develop young NBA draft prospects as an alternative to college. It has been quite successful in this mission, despite the huge financial opportunity NCAA star players see with NIL. In 2021, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Isaiah Todd all entered the top 10 on Ignite. So did Jaden Hardy, MarJon Beauchamp and Dyson Daniels in 2022.
Ignite star Scoot Henderson is expected to go to the Portland Trailblazers with the No. 3 pick in Yahoo Sports’ 2023 mock draft. His teammates Leonard Miller and Sidy Cissoko are also expected to be selected in the first round.