Lithuanian twins Azuolas and Tautvilas Tubelis commit to Arizona
Photo by Nicole Sweet/NBAE via Getty Images
The Arizona Wildcats added two more international commits on Wednesday, landing Lithuanian twins Azuolas and Tautvilas Tubelis, according to ESPN.
They are the fifth and sixth foreign commits in Arizona’s 2020 class, joining French forward Daniel Batcho, Estonian point guard Kerr Kriisa, Canadian wing Ben Mathurin and Turkish forward Tibet Gorener.
Azuolas is considered the best of the bunch, per ESPN. The 6-foot-9, 243-pound forward averaged 16.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in 28 minutes per game in the NKL, Lithuania’s second-best professional league.
He explained his decision to go to Arizona to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony:
“Their campus is amazing, they have great fans and they are among best universities in college basketball,” Azuolas Tubelis said. “Arizona has had similar players, like Derrick Williams for example, who coach Sean Miller developed, and I believe that will help me. Their assistant coach, Jack Murphy, has followed me since the Basketball Without Borders camp in Chicago and built a strong relationship with us.
“I believe that league fits me well and I also get a chance to play together with my brother. This is a great opportunity for him, which I think he deserves. The transition to [the] U.S. will be easier for me with my brother, so I am very excited to be able to play together with him once again.”
Not as much is known about Tautvilas, a 6-foot-7 forward who played for Lithuania at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2018 and spent the past four seasons at Vilnius Basketball School.
But ESPN reports he will be on scholarship which means Arizona is likely done adding to its roster—and is even one scholarship player over the 13-player limit, increasingly the likelihood that Brandon Williams will not be returning.
Here is what Azuolas’ 247Sports scouting report says:
Azuolas Tubelis is a skilled power forward prospect with a very safe and high floor. The Lithuanian has good size for the position, a sturdy frame and possesses excellent hands and touch. The lefty has a terrific feel and IQ for the game and does an excellent job of filling his role and playing within himself. Tubelis has a nose for the ball and makes for a plus-rebounder for the position. He is useful and effective in a wide variety of ways on the offensive end and given his natural instincts as a rebounder, Tubelis projects as a long term and productive Power 5 starter.
And are some extended highlights of Azuolas:
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