Matas Buzelis was once thought of as one of the top players in his class — a lengthy wing with an all-around skillset.
But an up-and-down year with the now-dissolved G League Ignite put his NBA Draft stock into question, and eventually led to him being selected at No. 11 by the Chicago Bulls at the 2024 draft.
In his rookie season, Buzelis rattled off 80 games that made plenty think he should’ve been drafted higher than the late-lottery. And through the 2025 preseason, he’s put together performances that have many thinking he likely should’ve heard his name within the first few called.
In his first preseason game of the year, Buzelis added 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting, hitting two of his five attempted triples and adding eight rebounds, one assist and one block apiece. He led Chicago in scoring, doing a bit of everything in helping to take down the Cavaliers by one.
In a rematch with Cleveland, Buzelis again scored in double figures, adding 11 points on 3-for-7 shooting, again showcasing his prowess from beyond the arc at 40%.
Against the Bucks Sunday night, Buzelis tripled-down. He again ranked near the top of the squad in scoring, adding another 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting, canning another two threes and adding four rebounds. Only guard Ayo Dosunmu eclipsed him with 22 points.