The two most commonly spotted names in the Chicago Bulls news waves over the last six weeks have been Matas Buzelis and Billy Donovan. Buzelis, displaying a breakout sophomore season, is the most important asset on which all future moves will revolve. Donovan, per Joe Cowley, might be gone after the next eight games. Despite those reports, the head coach plans to meet with ownership, has given no quotes indicating he’s indeed moving on or contemplating it, and if it were up to the one player whose opinion should be factored in, he might not be leaving. Here was Buzelis’s reaction to the only coach he’s had in the NBA potentially moving on, and what he has signified in his journey.
Full Endorsement From Buzelis
This is no surprise. In his two seasons at the professional level, Buzelis has been one of the most respectful, loyal, and genuine players in the face of the media and in support of his own. Whether it was the slew of trade rumors tied to nearly any teammate he’s had in Chicago or having to react to the media trying to fish a polarizing answer out of him when he was being benched early in his rookie campaign for simple mistakes, the youngster has never wavered.
“He’s been everything, man, He’s been a role model to me; he’s someone I look up to as a person, as a human being. He’s a guy that’s been a cornerstone for me. He’s pushed me to my limits, and he’s going to keep pushing me until I can’t be pushed anymore… I can’t thank somebody like that enough. He tells you the truth every time. It’s hard to do that, especially in this league, to have someone in your corner that is going to tell you everything you need to hear.”
Matas Buzelis via Joe Cowley of Chicago Sun-Times
Out of the staggering 27 players who have played minutes this season for the Bulls, the 21-year-old emerging star is the only one to have played over 64. He’s been the most consistent, exciting, and improved asset on the roster and has quickly become a fan favorite. If he’s got any say in the matter, Donovan might not be done in Chicago.
Perfect Rebuild Coach
Even though the 60-year-old Donovan has several reasons not to embark on a rebuild, he is the ideal man for the job. His rise to fame came at the college level, where he won back-to-back NCAA Tournament titles with the University of Florida, and at the professional level, he led the young trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook to a Western Conference Finals appearance in his first year, followed by four more postseason appearances in a row. His specialty has always been developing, installing, and evolving his set of core values over several years, three things the Chicago Bulls sorely need. While the sledding has been tough thus far in his tenure with the franchise, the argument should shift to why he’s not being supplied with the tools necessary to do the job. If anyone departs this summer, fans would agree it should be Arturas Karnisovas and his front office staff.
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Always a pros pro, Bulls coach Billy Donovan ducked no questions about his future on Wednesday. What he made clear is he wants to win and wants to hear a plan that will accomplish that when season ends. Billy D unplugged …
Read it …https://t.co/0SHxeoKLHP
— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) March 26, 2026
Do the Bulls opt to push all their chips into the AK or the Donovan basket, and how does this affect Buzelis’s rapid growth in future years? Who would get your vote to help guide and build the next generation of Chicago Bulls hoops?
