The Chicago Bulls were headed into the 2025 NBA All-Star weekend with only two participants. Matas Buzelis was the first player slated to participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and Adama Sanogo was selected as part of the G League Up Next Game on Sunday afternoon before the NBA All-Star Game. As of a few hours ago, Chicago's rookie forward was asked to replace the injured Yves Missi in another event over the weekend and he has since committed to joining his second event. Where else will Buzelis appear, and how much excitement is brewing in the Windy City for their young phenom?
NBA Rising Stars Game
The Bulls' 11th overall selection in last summer's draft has had a promising rookie campaign. Through the first several months, he struggled to find minutes due to his reckless defense, too many fouls, inconsistent three-point shooting, and the speed of the NBA level simply overmatched his abilities. Since elevating him to the sixth man in Chicago and shortly after that into the starting lineup in spurts, he's only improved with each outing. Zach LaVine's trade deadline departure has granted opportunities throughout the lineup, and Buzelis has taken full advantage of the minutes and usage increases. Tonight, he will get to put those skills on display in the NBA Rising Stars Game.
Chicago Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis will replace injured New Orleans Pelicans rookie center Yves Missi in the 2025 Castrol Rising Stars, which will take place tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT will air the four-team, three-game mini-tournament at 9 p.m. ET,… pic.twitter.com/sS6vXkTIRp
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 14, 2025
Buzelis Breakout Month
February has flipped the script on Chicago's 20-year-old forward. He averaged under seven points in 15 minutes per game in the three months prior. This month, he's scoring 14.8 points per outing and seeing 26.7 minutes through six games. While the Bulls are 1-5 in those games, the priority has shifted to sliding in the standings for a better draft outlook while developing the young, promising assets via more floor time. The trade deadline execution was questionable from the front office, but the handling of Buzelis has improved as the season has progressed.
In the 12 games Matas Buzelis played more than 20 minutes he averaged…
— alejandro d. (@LocalBullsFan) February 9, 2025
▫️13.2 points
▫️4 rebounds
▫️0.9 assists
▫️1.4 blocks
▫️52.5 FG%
▫️42.7 3P%
▫️82.4 FT%
Can he be the first ROY who wasn’t selected for the Rising Stars game? #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/ZqPZFv9v8j
The rookie has seen 19 or more minutes in nine straight, scoring ten or more in eight. The keys have firmly been handed to the next face of the franchise, and pairing him with a top-ten draft selection in a few months will be Chicago's most challenging task of the rebuild progression.
You can tune in tonight to catch the first Chicago Bulls representative, and he'll be able to appear again tomorrow in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
