The Arizona Wildcats are reportedly picking up yet another top prospect out of Lithuania, perimeter-shooting 6-8 forward Paulius Murauskas.
After Arizona announced Tuesday that it added big man Motiejus Krivas, Eurohopes.com reported on Wednesday that the Wildcats picked up a commitment from Murauskas. Adding Murauskas would give UA 10 scholarship players as of now for 2023-24.
Lithuania news site 15min reported last month that Murauskas would head to Arizona, quoting sources saying it was a done deal and only a matter of time before it became official. However, as of Wednesday afternoon, Arizona had not confirmed the addition of Murauskas, as it did Tuesday with Krivas.
If the Wildcats officially land Murauskas, they will have three of Eurospectsโ top-20-ranked players born in 2004, a board headed by projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick Victor Wembanyama. Murauskas is ranked No. 13, one spot below UA rising sophomore Henri Veesaar, while Krivas is ranked No. 18.
According to Sports Illustratedโs Overseas Roundup, Murauskas played for the same Zalgiris club as Krivas for most of his early developmental years but was loaned to Lietkabelis last season so he could play more often for its top club.
Krivas played most of last season with Zalgirisโ second club, while Murauskas was on the top circuit.
SIโs Ignacio Rissotto wrote that Murauskas was ranked third among 127 draft players in the Lithuanian league.
โStanding at 6-foot-8 and having long arms, Murauskas plays with the mobility, coordination and fluidity of a wing,โ Rissotto wrote.
โHis optimal size for the position allows him to create mismatches against opponents in his current league, as heโs too fluid with the ball in his hands for opposing big men, and too strong and physically imposing for opposing guards and wings.โ
In LKL play last season, Murauskas averaged 7.2 points while shooting 41.0% from 3-point range. In 18 high-level EuroCup games, he averaged 4.4 points while shooting 23.3% from 3-point range.
