Arizona's Azuolas Tubelis impresses foes in 1st NBA Draft Combine scrimmage

CHICAGO – In his debut NBA Combine scrimmage Wednesday, Azuolas Tubelis flashed many of the same skills that scouts undoubtedly saw over his three seasons with the Arizona Wildcats.

While playing for “Team Bradds” in its 107-88 loss to “Team Bailey” on Wednesday, the Lithuanian power forward collected 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting while dishing two assists, blocking two shots and grabbing five rebounds.

Though he missed one of his fastbreak layup attempts, Tubelis hit a variety of short and midrange jumpers and hook shots, elevating his left hand even in a crowd of opposing big men that included Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, Marquette’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Clemson’s Hunter Tyson. Tubelis rarely missed from the field after the opening quarter while also firing off a 20-foot midcourt pass that led to an eventual Team Bradd basket.

“He’s a good player, man,” Tyson said of Tubelis. “He’s got great touch, especially with that left hand.”

Tubelis and the other Team Bradd players are not scheduled to be available for comment until Thursday but, Prosper, a former NBA Academy teammate of ex-UA guard Bennedict Mathurin, also spoke highly of Tubelis after Wednesday’s scrimmage.

“He’s a really good player,” Prosper said. “I think he’s gonna have a long career just because of his size and ability to stretch the floor. He had his good moments. As the game went on, he got even better.”

Although he wasn’t scheduled to play against Tubelis until his “Team Hines” meets Team Bradd at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, UCLA big man Adem Bona faced Tubelis twice last season, once at Pauley Pavilion and once at McKale Center (although he missed the Pac-12 Tournament championship game because of a back injury).

“He makes the game simple for himself,” Bona said of Tubelis. “He doesn’t try to do too much. He does all he needs to get a bucket. Nothing too much. Nothing less.”

A 6-10 forward who received consensus second-team All-American honors last season, Tubelis is projected to land in the second round of the June 22 NBA Draft or be one of the top undrafted players.

Bruin-flavored combine

Although UCLA is expected to lose its entire starting lineup, the Bruins still might get back Bona, a former five-star prospect with roots in Nigeria and Turkey.

Bona said Wednesday he is focused on becoming a draft pick but also isn’t feeling too bad about his backup plan.

“I say to myself, it’s a good problem to have,” Bona said. “If going back to college is my second option, I think UCLA is a good (one) to have. I see myself in the NBA. It’s my No. 1 goal. I’ve gotten this close, so why turn back around?”

Bona is one of four Bruins on hand for the NBA Combine, along with guard Amari Bailey, forward Jaime Jaquez and wing Jaylen Clark. Guard Tyger Campbell played in the lower-level G League Elite Camp last weekend. Jaquez is not participating in the combine scrimmages.

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Mathurin’s Montreal fire

A good friend of Mathurin since they were both about 12 years old on the Montreal basketball scene, Prosper said he was not surprised to see Mathurin become one of the NBA’s top rookies this season because of the former UA guard’s fiery intensity.

“I know he’s had that since we were like 15 years old,” Prosper said. “I knew he had that in him. He has the mentality that he’s going after everything, and he’s that type of dude. He’s never satisfied. Never, never satisficed. He will have a great career because of that.”

Prosper, who is testing the NBA Draft after a season at Clemson and two at Marquette, said he and Mathurin both knew they would succeed because of their work ethic and attitude. They spent a year together on the NBA Academy’s Latin American club in Mexico City before leaving for college. (UA center Oumar Ballo also played with Mathurin on the NBA Academy club in Mexico but did so a year before Prosper arrived.)

Together, Mathurin and Prosper could bring more basketball cred to Quebec, something they found lacking in their early youth.

“Growing up in Montreal, it wasn’t known as a basketball city and we wanted to change that,” Prosper said. “There wasn’t as many opportunities for people in Montreal to be in this position, to go to college and be here.

“Guys coming out of Montreal have that chip on their shoulder. They don’t have all the high school hype or everything, but they keep working in the gym. And then when they get on those platforms under the lights, they’re gonna show up.”

Gueye’s McKale memories

One of the reasons Washington State big man Mouhamed Gueye declared for the NBA Draft this spring can probably be traced back to the afternoon of Jan. 7 at McKale Center.

That’s when Gueye played like a lottery pick in leading the Cougars to a 74-61 upset win over Arizona, with 24 points on 9-for-19 shooting and 14 rebounds. The 6-11 sophomore from Senegal also hit 1 of 3 3-pointers, dished three assists, blocked a shot and recorded two steals.

“That was one of my best games,” Gueye said Wednesday. “I was already confident before that game, but obviously winning against Arizona at (its) home boosts your confidence. I had a great game.”

Gueye pulled his name out of the draft last year and could do so again but said Wednesday he plans to stay in the draft after putting together a sophomore season in which he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and received honorable mention in All-Defensive Team voting.

“I feel like I improved a lot,” Gueye said. “I played more. I had the ball more. I was more assertive. I think I showed a lot more of my game this year.”