After shaking up the roster, the Chicago Bulls didn't have the season they hoped for. However, there was plenty to be excited about. Nothing should've drawn more buzz than the rapid and unexpected ascent of Matas Buzelis. Expectations for the 11th overall pick were subdued. The 20-year-old never played college ball, gaining experience in the G League. Nobody figured he'd be a factor for the Bulls in 2024-2025. For the first three months of the season, they were mostly correct.
However, there were still glimpses of something. Buzelis occasionally made impressive highlight-reel plays, showcasing a diverse skill set that could blossom into something more. Then, around the end of January, the switch seemed to flip. Buzelis averaged 13.25 points, 4.48 rebounds, and a 37.3 shooting percentage from three-point range over the final 35 games. That success carried into the offseason, where, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Buzelis dominated team workouts in L.A.
Teammate Ayo Dosumu went so far as to admit he sees a familiar face in what he's becoming.
“Matas is a hard worker, a tremendous worker,” Dosunmu said. “He loves the work. I have high praises for him, high expectations for him. I’m seeing him in person, him getting stronger. He’s starting to realize how strong he is and how he’s able to dominate. I know Giannis is a Hall of Famer, top 20, top 30 player [all time], but Matas has a chance to really dominate the game like that because he’s 6-10, 6-11, and as he continues to get stronger, continues to get in the weight room, he’s only going to get bigger. So I think he’s going to continue to grow gradually like that in terms of him being able to finish, rebound, him being able to just dominate the game, and that’s definitely going to show.”
Matas Buzelis is charting a similar path to Giannis.
Antetokounmpo wasn't always an NBA icon. He wasn't a top 10 pick (went 15th overall). In 2013, fans only knew him as a skinny kid from overseas who had the potential to become a good player if he ever bulked up and expanded his game. Sure enough, he went from 196 lbs to 242 lbs. Once he could handle the league's physical play, it became almost impossible to contain him. He's now a nine-time All-Star, NBA champion, and future Hall of Famer. Comparing Matas Buzelis to somebody like that is an incredible compliment. The Bulls' rookie arrived at around 209 lbs this past season. If he can add 20-25 lbs of good muscle mass, the spurts of success you saw last year will become a flood.
If Chicago did manage to find a true superstar as he's developing in front of our eyes, the prospects for this organization have shifted drastically.
