Potential Memphis Grizzlies draft picks? Meet Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis of G League Ignite

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Was the next Memphis Grizzlies draft pick in the area this weekend?

The G League Ignite are in town for games against the Memphis Hustle on Saturday and Sunday night at the Landers Center. The Ignite launched in 2020 and exist as a college basketball alternative for highly touted prospects, with NBA players like Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Scoot Henderson as some of their alums.

The Grizzlies haven't picked in the lottery since drafting Ja Morant in 2019, so fans haven't necessarily needed to pay attention to the top draft-eligible prospects. But this season has been different, with the Grizzlies buried by an injury crisis that has kept them on the outside of the playoff picture all season.

The Ignite have a few potential lottery picks in Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland. Though both missed Saturday's game (a 125-105 win for the Hustle), each spoke with the Commercial Appeal afterward.

Ron Holland

The 6-8, 205-pound forward is averaging 20.6 points per game this season.

The Ignite are 1-16 this season after Saturday night's loss, but Holland believes things are starting to turn around.

"This season has been a roller coaster of emotions just because we haven't been winning a lot," he said. "We know what we're capable of and we know we've got some things to fix, with us being so young. Other teams have that much of an advantage over us, because they just know more than us. But we know for a fact, things are going to flip for us very soon."

Holland, who turns 19 in July, initially committed to Texas before deciding to sign with the Ignite.

"I knew it was going to be tough, going straight from high school to here," he said. "The 3-point line is different, there's different rules, it's just a different pace of basketball. The more levels you go, the more the pace changes."

The native of Duncanville, Texas, is all over the place in early NBA mock drafts. He could be a lottery pick, and said he's pushing to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Though Holland is focused on the rest of the season with the Ignite, he said he hears about mock drafts and where he could play next season.

"Obviously I see it, I'm on social media," he said. "But I don't really let it bother me. I stay the course and let my work do the talking. Whenever that night comes, wherever I go, I hope it's the best fit. Obviously I'm pushing to be No. 1, but if I'm trying to go to the best fit, every single day I work I'm pushing to be that dude. I want to go to a team and dominate as soon as I step on the court."

Matas Buzelis

Buzelis, a 6-10, 209-pound forward out of Chicago, is averaging 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He has been a consistent Grizzlies target in mock drafts throughout the season and could help them at a position of need. Memphis has not had much depth in the frontcourt all season with Steven Adams out because of knee surgery, and now Adams has been traded to the Houston Rockets.

"It's been a lot of ups and downs," said Buzelis, who turns 20 in October. "But we battle, we work every day. It doesn't matter how hard the trials and tribulations have been, it's just about pushing through and showing that you can push through adversity. But we're working and trying our best."

What's the biggest thing he has improved on this season?

"My defense for sure," he said. "My defense has been way better than last year's."

And what does he want to improve on moving forward?

"Pretty much everything," he said. "Trying to get better at everything."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Could Memphis Grizzlies look to G League Ignite in 2024 NBA Draft?