‘It speaks volumes’: Sunrise basketball sees record 3 players picked in NBA Draft

Sunrise Christian Academy is no stranger to producing NBA talent, evident by past success stories like Buddy Hield and Gradey Dick.

But the national powerhouse prep program located in Bel Aire enjoyed a historic Wednesday evening when two former Sunrise players, Matas Buzelis (No. 11 to the Chicago Bulls) and Dillon Jones (No. 26 to the Oklahoma City Thunder), were drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Buzelis, a 2023 graduate, and Jones, a 2020 graduate, gave Sunrise the most first-round selections in program history. To top it off, 2022 graduate Bobi Klintman was selected with the 37th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons on Thursday to give Sunrise a trio of former players drafted, also a program record.

Previously the only former Sunrise players drafted were Hield (No. 6 overall in 2016 draft, Kennedy Chandler (No. 38 overall in 2022 draft), Kendall Brown (No. 48 overall in 2022 draft) and Dick (No. 13 overall in 2023 draft).

“We’re recruiting guys right now who are on the same mission as those guys,” Sunrise elite coach Kyle Lindsted said. “We can say, ‘Hey, we are doing it here at the highest level. We know what it takes, what it looks like, how it feels and what you’re trying to do can be done from right here.’”

It was a particularly meaningful night to Buzelis, a 6-foot-10 forward who was born in Chicago and drafted in the lottery by his hometown Bulls on Wednesday.

He played one year at Sunrise and was named the 2023 Gatorade Kansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He spent last season playing for G League Ignite, where he averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

“It’s amazing to watch because you know the kid and you know his heart,” Lindsted said. “We see the other side of it when we’re at Sunrise because these kids are separated from their parents, from their family. Sometimes people don’t fully realize the sacrifices these kids make. Obviously they have the talent and the ability and size, but there’s a lot of sacrifice that goes into a young person getting to that point in their life that fast. So when he was emotional, it was understandable and you’re so happy to see a kid like that realize his dream.”

After seeing a record three former players selected in the NBA Draft, Sunrise also saw two former players scooped up on two-way contracts after going undrafted in 2019 graduate N’Faly Dante (Houston Rockets) and 2018 graduate Blake Hinson (Los Angeles Lakers).

“It speaks volumes about the community we have here at Sunrise and the coaches and the teachers and the administration that pour themselves into these young men,” Lindsted said. “It’s exciting for us to play a small role in their growth and development.”

Sunrise Christian basketball history in NBA Draft

2016—Buddy Hield (2012 grad) drafted No. 6 overall by New Orleans Pelicans.

2022—Kennedy Chandler (2021 grad) drafted No. 38 overall by Memphis Grizzlies; Kendall Brown (2022 grad) drafted No. 48 overall by Indiana Pacers.

2023—Gradey Dick (2022 grad) drafted No. 13 overall by Toronto Raptors.

2024—Matas Buzelis (2023 grad) drafted No. 11 overall by Chicago Bulls; Dillon Jones (2020 grad) drafted No. 26 overall by Oklahoma City Thunder; Bobi Klintman (2022 grad) drafted No. 37 overall by Detroit Pistons.