Returning home to Lithuania after the Philadelphia 76ers cut him last October, Azoulas Tubelis made the best of it.
The former UA Wildcat was named MVP of Lithuaniaβs LKL professional league, the first native to win the leagueβs top individual award since 2019, while displaying a more well-rounded game and leading NeptΕ«nas KlaipΔda into the LKL playoffs.
Tubelis averaged 15.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting 64.2% from 2-point range and 32.9% from 3, taking more than three times as many long-range shots as he did at Arizona in 2022-23.
Tubelis averaged under one 3-point attempt for Arizona that season, making 31.3% of them, but was 29 for 88 from long range over 23 games with Neptunas in 2023-24.
"I remember in America everyone took risks and I was uncomfortable myself," Tubelis told the LKL's official website. "I have definitely put in a lot of work and will continue to do so every day. People say I'm not a shooter ... I'm not a shooter, but I can definitely shoot the 3-pointer. I will try to develop and improve it even more."
Tubelis
According to the LKL website, Tubelis said he never thought he'd win the leagueβs MVP award after watching the league as a youth who "barely understood basketball" but figured his statistics were putting him in position to win as the season moved on.
"I knew that I would be among the candidates," Tubelis said. "I believed in myself and one of the smaller goals for me personally was to receive this award and to continue the good performance with the team. We will try to do that again."
Over three seasons at Arizona, Tubelis developed into one of college basketball's top players. After signing with former UA coach Sean Miller and moving quickly into the starting lineup as a freshman in 2020-21, Tubelis became a second-team All-American in 2022-23 and the runner-up to UCLA's Jaime Jaquez for the Pac-12 Player of the Year award.
Tubelis left the Wildcats after the 2022-23 season and signed a two-way deal with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent. The deal would have allowed the 76ers to shuttle Tubelis back and forth to their G League club in Delaware, but Philadelphia cut Tubelis completely during the exhibition season when they re-signed Ricky Council IV.
Tubelis then returned to Lithuania and signed a three-year deal with BC Rytas, the club in his hometown of Vilnius.
Tubelis played for Rytas' youth club before joining Arizona in 2020, so Rytas had retained his rights. But the club opted to loan Tubelis to Neptunas for 2023-24 reportedly because of its crowded frontcourt.
Rytas still holds rights to Tubelis for two more seasons but Tubelisβ production this season has led to speculation a higher-level team could pursue him. There is a buyout clause of about $220,000 in his contract.
Love says NIL not top factor
In an interview with CBS during the G League Elite Camp, UA guard Caleb Love indicated the prospect of a big NIL payday if he returns to Arizona is not a top consideration.
Because he wasn't invited to the NBA Combine, Love appears to face long odds to get drafted or sign a two-way contract worth more than $500,000. This spring's NIL marketplace suggests he could do even better financially than a two-way deal if he returns to college basketball.
"I never really was the type to go back for money," Love told CBS. "I didn't transfer to go get more money. I wanted the best situation for me and I wanted to be on a good team that had aspirations to win on the highest level and winning a national championship.
"That went into my decision to go to Arizona and if I chose to go back, it wouldn't be for the money. It would be to expand my game and elevate my game and compete for a national championship."
Arizona guard Caleb Love, center, says NIL won't be a factor if he decides to return to the Wildcats.
The Pac-12 Player of the Year last season, Love credited Arizona for helping improve his efficiency and creating a good environment. He shot 33.2% from 3-point range while averaging 18.0 points, though he averaged 11.5 points and shot just 20% from 3 over Arizona's final six games.
"Coach (Tommy) Lloyd helped me expand my game and grow my game," Love said. "Playing with my teammates, they made it so much fun. It was a great overall year. I definitely grew in areas that I didn't at UNC, so I'm grateful for Arizona and that whole community."
Should he return to the Wildcats, Love could lead a retooled perimeter that could feature Jaden Bradley at point guard, with KJ Lewis and five-star freshman Joson Sanon on the wings.
Larsson fills combine box
Former Wildcat Pelle Larsson carried his usual do-everything game into an NBA Combine scrimmage Tuesday, hitting just 1 of 5 3-pointers but getting to the line six times and making 5 of 6 free throws. He totaled 12 points while also recording three rebounds, one assist and no turnovers, while posting a plus-15 rating.
Larsson's "Team Herscu" beat Keshad Johnson's "Team Love" 99-84, with ex-Wildcat Johnson scoring seven points and two rebounds. Johnson shot 3 of 4 from the field, with one steal and one turnover.
Johnson tied for the second-best max (jumping) vertical leap at the combine at 42.0 inches, and Larsson recorded a 38-inch leap that was fifth-best among the 14 shooting guards in camp.
Larsson also stood out with a handsize bigger than most of the other shooting guards on hand and shot well. He hit 68% from the left corner, 70% off the dribble in the left corner and 48% on the move.
Larsson's wingspan of 6-7.50 ranked 10th among the 14 Combine shooting guards, while Johnson's 6-10.25 wingspan tied for 12th out of 14 power forwards.
Johnson had the biggest hand among Combine power forwards (tied for first in width and first in length at 9.25 inches) and finished second at his position in the three-quarter court sprint.
On Wednesday, Larsson is scheduled to play at 10:15 a.m. against a "Team Forehan-Kelly" that includes Washington State's Jaylen Wells, Colorado's KJ Simpson and Florida State forward Jamir Watkins.
Johnson is scheduled to play Wednesday at 12:15 against a "Team St. Andrews" that includes UConn forward Alex Karaban and UCLA center Adem Bona.
ESPN2 is scheduled to air both games Wednesday.
Bruce Pascoe is a veteran Arizona Daily Star sports reporter covering University of Arizona basketball. He has traveled with the team all the way to Israel and has been reporting at the Star since the late 90βs. Bruce worked at the Las Vegas Review-Journal prior to the Star and he graduated from Northwestern University. David and Bruce talk about the highlights of covering basketball and sports in a college town, the difficulties of the beat, Bruceβs love for sports and where that came from and how his reporting impacts the community.
