Azuolas Tubelis keeping 'all my options open' as he shows off skills at NBA Combine

CHICAGO — During his three seasons at Arizona, Azuolas Tubelis always told it like it is and rarely used more than a few words at a time doing so.

So even though he is not expected to return to the Wildcats next season, Tubelis pointed out that the NCAA deadline to withdraw from the draft is not until May 31. So at this point, he has no incentive to say definitively one way or another what he’ll do.

“I have all my options open,” Tubelis said. “I don’t know anything. I need to hear all the feedback. I need to talk to the teams and then I still have time to decide.”

When it came to the NBA Combine this week, Tubelis was also matter-of-fact. He summed it up pretty much the way analysts, scouts and media have for years: It’s about the interviews between team officials and players as much as anything that happens on the floor.

Scouts know what Tubelis can do. They know how he measures up. He did spend three seasons playing for a pretty high-profile college basketball program, after all.

“There’s not a lot of opportunities here to show what can I do,” Tubelis said. “But I’m pretty sure all scouts know what players can do. They know them, they know me. And they just wanted to see us in person and talk to us in those meetings.”

Tubelis declined to say which teams he has spoken with — “My agent said I’m not supposed to tell you guys,” he said with a smile — though he did sell himself to media in a manner that he likely has during those meetings with team officials.

Tubelis compared himself to a “quicker (Domantas) Sabonis” and also compared himself to Rockets big man Isaiah Hartenstein.

“He’s a lefty, he’s strong, he can shoot the ball,” Tubelis said of Hartenstein. “He has the soft touch around the room. So I think it’s those two players and Stephen Curry, because he can shoot the 3s and I can shoot the 3s.”

Then Tubelis laughed. He was joking about the Curry thing, of course. But shooting 3s a little more often is one thing Tubelis said he’s been aiming to add this spring.

Measured at 6-foot-8.75 without shoes this week, Tubelis has proven quickness and strong passing skills for his size but not always the range or defense that can be required of bigger NBA forwards.

So when UConn’s Adama Sanogo hit him in the right corner for a 3-point attempt on Thursday, Tubelis made sure to hit it. He took only 32 3-point shots over 35 games for Arizona last season, hitting them at a 31.2% rate, but said he has spent time working on the long-range shot in the offseason.

“I shot a lot of 3s before the combine,” Tubelis said. “And, yeah, my shot is getting better. I’m not afraid to shoot. At Arizona, I didn’t shoot much. I wasn’t really used to just catch and shoot 3s and now I’m working on it, off the dribble, off the trail, all that stuff. It’s been working out good so I’m happy.”

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While still having a home base in Tucson as the spring semester wound down, Tubelis said he’s been working out mostly in Los Angeles, where his Wasserman agents have grouped him with a few other draft prospects, including Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther.

The multiple daily workouts don’t always take place in a gym, either.

“We had some some beach workouts on the sand so that was tough,” Tubelis said. “I’m kind of proud of myself that I went through that. That was really hard.”

This week has given him a chance to show off the results. Tubelis’ passing ability, shooting touch to mid-range, and speed for his size have been on display at the combine.

Over two scrimmages, Tubelis averaged 11.5 points while dishing 3.0 assists and collecting 3.5 rebounds. He shot 9 for 18 from the field.

Not in the box score: The way he raced up and down the court.

“I run the floor probably the best in college basketball,” Tubelis said. “I rebound the ball. I see the court well. I include my teammates every possession. I’m not trying to score first. And I think my IQ is pretty big. I’m pretty smart on the court.”

What sort of odds Tubelis will be deploying all that for an NBA team next season are not extremely high. He isn’t widely projected to be among the 58 picks in the June 22 NBA Draft, though Tubelis is believed to have six-figure offers waiting for him if he returns to Europe to play professionally.

He might also be able to pick up more NIL money if he returned to the Wildcats, though Tubelis said that isn’t a big factor.

Tubelis said it’s about the opportunity on the floor more than anything.

“I just don’t want to sit on the bench,” Tubelis said. “So if something goes wrong, I would go to where I was playing. I want to be a role player, not the 10 to 11 player who sits on the bench.

“Right now it’s more important than money. I’m 21 years old. I have enough money.”