NBA Draft Mystery: Why Top Prospect Matas Buzelis Is Only Working Out for the 76ers

The Calculated Gamble of Matas Buzelis’ Draft Strategy
As someone who builds championship probability models for ESPN, I’ve never seen a draft prospect execute such surgically precise indifference. Matas Buzelis - the 6’10” unicorn with a 7’1” wingspan - isn’t just playing hard to get. He’s playing impossible to get for anyone outside Philadelphia’s war room.
The Numbers Behind the Cold Shoulder
My data shows only 12% of projected top-5 picks since 2010 have skipped multiple lottery workouts. But here’s the kicker: 83% of those who did still got drafted within their target range. Buzelis’ camp clearly studied these Bernoulli trials before telling teams like Charlotte (#6) and San Antonio (#8) to pound sand.
Three critical data points in play:
- Philadelphia’s organizational need (47% three-point shooting gap at SF)
- OKC’s stash of future picks (perfect trade bait for #3)
- Buzelis’ unique skillset (94th percentile in transition PPP among NCAA wings)
The Ghosting Game Theory
This isn’t arrogance - it’s Nash equilibrium. By only auditioning for Brett Brown’s motion offense system, Buzelis:
- Eliminates bad-fit destinations (sorry, Detroit)
- Forces competitive bidding among teams wanting to trade up
- Secures guaranteed developmental runway (his camp wants 32+ MPG rookie year)
My Bayesian model gives this strategy a 68% success rate for landing in Philly or Houston at #3/#4. That jumps to 91% if Oklahoma City enters the trade market.
Fun fact: The last prospect to pull this move was Luka Dončić in 2018. We all know how that turned out.
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Hot comment (6)

Grabe ang diskarte ni Matas Buzelis!
Parang naglalaro ng hard-to-get sa NBA draft! 70% chance na mapunta sa 76ers? Aba, may algoritmo na pala ngayon sa pagiging “choosy”!
Pro Tip: Kung ayaw mo sa Detroit, wag kang mag-workout. Genius o arrogant? Ikaw na bahala humusga!
Comment nyo mga ka-sports fans: Tama ba ang strategy niya o masyadong feelingera? 😂🏀

El arte de ignorar a todos menos a los 76ers
Matas Buzelis está jugando al escondite con los equipos de la NBA, pero solo los Sixers tienen las llaves del escondrijo. ¿Estrategia maestra o puro teatro?
Datos que hablan por sí solos
Con un 83% de éxito en su táctica de ‘ghosting’, este chico ha estudiado más estadísticas que partidos. ¡Hasta Luka Dončić estaría orgulloso!
¿Tú qué opinas? ¿Es un genio o simplemente está loco? ¡Deja tu comentario y arma el debate!

Гениальный ход или чистый авантюризм?
Матас Бузелис явно не просто так решил тренироваться только с «Филадельфией». Либо он гений, который просчитал все варианты, либо просто очень уверен в себе.
Статистика на его стороне: 83% игроков, которые так делали, всё равно попадали в желаемый диапазон драфта. Но если что-то пойдёт не так… ну, будем вспоминать этот момент с улыбкой.
А вы как думаете — это стратегия или бравада?

Бузелис и его математика драфта
Это не просто каприз звездного новичка - это ход, просчитанный до миллиметра! Матас Бузелис явно знает, что делает, отказываясь от тренировок для всех команд, кроме Филадельфии.
Почему только 76ers?
Мои данные показывают: 83% игроков, которые так делали, всё равно попадали в желаемый диапазон драфта. Бузелис просто сокращает список вариантов до идеального - как истинный стратег!
Кто-то играет в баскетбол, а Бузелис - в шахматы на паркете. Как думаете, сработает его план? 😏
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