Lithuanian pipeline taking hold for Arizona men's basketball program

CHICAGO — Even if the Arizona Wildcats lose Azuolas Tubelis as expected this spring, he’ll always be a building block for what is now a Lithuanian talent pipeline.

During an interview with the Star at the NBA Combine, Tubelis spoke highly of the two players UA pulled in from his home country this week: Big man Motiejus Krivas and slick-shooting wing Paulius Murauskas.

Tubelis said he was really excited to see how Murauskas would do at Arizona, saying he was “one of the brightest talents in Lithuania now,” and he knows Krivas well, having played with him for Lithuania at the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2021.

“He’s a big guy, he’s skilled. Maybe not that fast but he’s good,” Tubelis said. “On defense, too. he has long, long wingspan. I think for Arizona he’s gonna be great.”

Tubelis 'shrinks' in NBA measurements

Tubelis was listed at 6 foot and 8.75 inches without shoes in the NBA Combine’s official body measurements, down from a listed height of 6-11 at Arizona. His overall stats compared favorably with other participants listed as power forward prospects.

Tubelis tied for first among 14 other power forwards in hand length (9.0 inches) and hand width (10.5 inches) and was fourth overall in height. He ranked only 13th of 14 in wingspan at 6-11 but was second of 14 in standing reach (9-0).

Even though UA listed Tubelis at 6-11, his NBA measurement of 6-8.75 is actually somewhat consistent. Arizona and many schools list players’ height with shoes on and round up — so if his shoes put a player at all over 6-10, they are usually listed at 6-11.

Tubelis said he considers himself 6-9.

“I think at Arizona it was 6-11,” Tubelis said. “Every time they presented me, it’s like 6-11. I’m not 6-11 You’re kidding me, right?”

The NBA also weighed Tubelis at 234.8 pounds, while UA had listed him at 245 last season.

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Camp circuit veteran

After playing five seasons all at Clemson, maybe it’s no surprise that forward Hunter Tyson has participated in not one but all three predraft camps this spring.

He just won’t go away.

Usually, college players attempting to launch a pro career have three tiers of camps to attend: The Portsmouth Invitational, a seniors-only event for players who are generally not NBA prospects but are of interest to international scouts; the G League Elite Camp, for G League prospects and second-tier NBA Draft prospects; and the top-tier NBA Combine.

But Tyson, even though he is not a projected NBA Draft pick, played well enough in Portsmouth that he was invited to the G League Camp at Wintrust Arena last weekend — and then played well enough in that event that the NBA invited him to stick around and play in the NBA Combine.

Often facing off against Arizona’s Azuolas Tubelis on Wednesday, Tyson hit 4 of 7 3-pointers and scored a total of 14 points while grabbing five rebounds.

“It’s been awesome,” Tyson said. “Getting called up from the G League camp, god bless that opportunity. I’m just trying to make the most of it. I’m trying to play hard, play to win, play unselfishly and try to be as efficient as possible.”

While Tyson’s journey has been unusual, he said he knew it was possible.

“I definitely believed in myself,” he said.

Tyson was one of only eight G League Elite Camp participants who were invited, while Washington State forward Mouhamed Gueye was invited to the NBA Combine after playing in the G League Camp last spring and then returning to the Cougars.

“It’s really the same honestly,” Gueye said. “In this one, people got more gear and more media. That’s it honestly.”