Azuolas Tubelis' 2023 NBA draft prediction: Where will the Arizona star forward land?

Entering the NBA draft, Arizona Wildcats power forward Azuolas Tubelis is known as a dominant scorer and a double-double machine. The 6-foot-11 and 245-pound Lithuanian played three seasons with the Wildcats, getting progressively better each year.

Notching first-team All-Pac-12 selections in his sophomore and junior years, the towering Tubelis has improved his game across the board at Arizona. He's a fiery two-way player who can grab a defensive rebound on one end, push the ball up the other end and take it to the rack to score. It's easy to see how he could fit in well in today's style of NBA basketball with this upside in transition.

Tubelis ended the 2022-2023 season averaging 19.8 points and 9.1 rebounds on 57.0% shooting.

While he does do what most tall forwards do in rebounding and blocking shots, Tubelis has a great shooting game and can load it up from deep, although he does need some time in this area to get it going on a consistent basis. He's really crafty around the rim and has a soft touch that goes well with his finesse.

Forwards who can space the floor and shoot from range like Tubelis can are much more valued in the league today. That suggests that the Lithuanian won't be hard-pressed in finding a possible suitor in this year's NBA draft.

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How will Azuolas Tubelis fare in the 2023 NBA draft?

Azuolas Tubelis has consistently gotten better year after year.

One would think it's safe to say that the big Lithuanian will go at least in the second round of this year's NBA draft. He's definitely proven his worth and showcased his level of skill, not only at Arizona but on the world stage, too.

The Wildcat helped his native Lithuania to a sixth-place finish at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia in 2021 and has performed at very high international levels before that event. There was a buzz around him and his twin brother (who he played with at Arizona) when they were recruited out of Lithuania, and not surprisingly so when one looks at his stats over his three years at Arizona.

Tubelis played as a power forward for the majority of his college career, but he certainly possesses the skill to shift out to the wing if his 3-point shot continues to improve. He's definitely one to look out for in this year's NBA draft.