Latvia was the surprise team from the recently completed 2023 FIBA World Cup, and star combo guard Arturs Zagars is now reaping the benefits. Donotas Urbonas of BasketNews is reporting that Zagars standout performance over the two-week tournament has piqued the interest of Euroleague teams and some NBA clubs.
“According to BasketNews sources, several solid EuroLeague teams, and even some NBA clubs, have been diligently gathering information about this World Cup standout in recent days. It’s not clear whether this interest will translate into a concrete opportunity, but it’s getting more and more clear that a big contract is somewhere around the corner.”
NBA Rumors: Several Teams Expressing Interest in Latvia’s combo guard Arturs Zagars
Zagars is currently a free agent. The 23-year-old spent last season with Lithunian club Kedainiai Nevezis though he was limited to just 22 games due to injuries. Still, Zagars produced solid numbers with Kedainiai Nevezis, averaging 15.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
But it was at the FIBA World Cup where he has turned heads. Zagars, who went undrafted in 2022, dazzled the Eastern Asian crowd throughout the tournament with his scoring, passing, and ball-handling.
Zagars finished the tournament with averages of 12.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds. He also drained nearly two treys a game while compiling a shooting slash line of .486/.417/.636 in 25 minutes of action.
Zagars scored in double-figures in five of his eight World Cup appearances. He topped the 20-point mark twice. His best scoring effort came in Latvia’s two-point setback loss to Germany in the Quarterfinals, where he scored 24 points on 9 of 17 shooting, including 4 of 8 from deep.
Regarding passing and ball-handling, Zagars’ best performance came in Latvia’s upset over Lithuania in the 5-6 classification. Zagars doled out a FIBA World Cup record 17 assists with no turnovers, breaking former Chicago Bulls Toni Kukoc’s mark. He also finished with 11 assists against Lebanon in Latvia’s opener.
Zagars Has A lot of Supporters
Zagars’ FIBA performance not only impressed scouts and opponents. But also his coaches and teammates.
“He proved he can be a leader. He made good shots for all teammates and scored by himself easily,” Zalgiris’ big man Rolands Smits shared the biggest improvement in Zagars’ game.”
Rolands Smits told @Urbodo that he believes 🇱🇻Arturs Zagars is READY for the EuroLeague level 👀#FIBAWC #WinForAll pic.twitter.com/M9Dwa4J3n2
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 9, 2023
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Davis Bertans believes Zagars can play in the NBA.
“He has always been a talented player since junior national teams. Whenever he joined us in the senior national team, in practices, we could see he did some things naturally that some other guys could not do. Unfortunately, he had those injuries in the past but had a good season in Lithuania. You could see that in every game, especially on the big stage, the better he played in these big games, the more confidence he was gaining and the better he kept playing on.”
“Honestly, yes,” Bertans responded when asked if he sees NBA potential in Zagars’ game.
“I think it’s a fair shot. It’s all about timing, chance, and opportunity. Everything can happen if you end up at the right place at the right time. He has all the tools to do it.”
“He’s relentless, as you can see. They’re putting their best defender on him every single night, and he still delivers for us.”
Despite going undrafted, Zagars has been part of an NBA team. The 6-3 guard in four summer league games for the Washington Wizards in 2022. He tallied seven points on 3 of 7 shooting in the 32 minutes on the court.
NBA Teams Interested
There has yet to be any word about what teams would be interested in working out a two-way deal with Zagars. But the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards immediately come to mind. While the Cavs have plenty of combo guards, they could use a true point guard behind Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell with Ricky Rubio out indefinitely due to mental health issues.
San Antonio is a young club, still building for the future. Zagars would fit the Spurs’ international culture with Victor Wembanyama and Sidy Cissoko on the roster. The Spurs have an open two-way spot.
Washington is rebuilding and could use a backup point guard in the next year or two. The Wizards have an open two-way spot.
Atlanta, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix, Portland. and Sacramento also have an open two-way spot.
