With under 8 minutes to go, the Windy City Bulls had a 26-point lead on the G-League Ignite. The NBA’s developmental team was headed toward an embarrassing 24th loss of the season. But you couldn’t have told Matas Buzelis that.
I was sitting about three rows up from the court at the time. The Windy City bench was celebrating a win and families were beginning to file out. Yet, the eventual No. 11 overall pick played as hard as anyone on the floor. He would even go on to ferociously rock the rim three times in the final minutes. Were one or two of the jams assisted by a relaxed Windy City defense? Sure, but Buzelis wasn’t going to let them off the hook because of what the scoreboard said. He was playing angry.
This was when I started to understand why Buzelis had been locked into the 2024 N⛦BA Draft lottery for months. As impressive as his 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks were, his mental make-up shined through. Buzelis was sweating a mix of confidence and dissatisfaction. The only way for him to get over it was to watch the backboard shake.
Fast forward to June 26th, and you can imagine my surprise when the Chicago Bulls selected Buzelis with the No. 11 overall pick. Not only was he projected by nearly every analyst in the country to go earlier in the draft, but he represented the opposite of nearly every player this fron𒀰t office has selected.
Patrick Williams has been the gentle giant. The quiet personality has built up a hesitant reputation on the court, which is what fans are hoping to see him drop in Year 5. Ayo Dosunmu has been a quality contributor since entering the league, but he’s another no-nonsense player who tends to calm down teammates far more than he riles them up.
Dalen Terry and Julian Ph🦂illips may have a little more personality on the bench, but neither have looked fully comfortable on the courꦓt. Each is still working to find out who they can be at the next level.
Meanwhile, Buzelis may recognize that plenty of work rests ahead, but he’s a player with an overt strong sense of self. When asked about his shooting struggles in the G-League, he told people not to worry. When asked about Zaccharie Risacher’s going No. 1 overall, . When asked about matching up with former Ignite teammate Rob Holland in Summer League, . The more we get to know Matas Buzelis, the more we learn that his attitude isn’t an act.
Indeed, Buzelis expects a lot out of himself, which can oftentimes mean he will expect a lot out of his teammates. I’m not necessarily saying I expect the 19-year-old to come into Chicago and rock the boat. But the organization hasn’t had a young player with his personality in the locker room or on the court in quite some time. I consider this a very good thing, particularly as the Bulls look to build a new culture behind the scenes.
I know it might sound silly, but what influenced me to type out these thoughts was a video shared on . The quick 36-second highlight reel strings together some of Buzelis’ best moments at Summer League, which includes one thunderous slam after another.
Check it out:
Yes, it was only Summer League, but this isn’t the kind of player we’ve seen on the floor for the Bulls the past few years. It’s the kind of player who has a chip on his shoulder and a hunger for the highlight play. He’ll try to end your life with a poster dunk and throw his hand up after a Big 3. The personality is almost just as exciting as the physical traits, and I can’t wait to see both in action come October.
Speaking of those physical traits, I wrote down A LOT of thoughts about Matas Buzelis’ Summer League debut earlier this offseason. If you’re still looking to learn more about what he brings to the floor, I highly encourage you to give it a read!
