This season for the Chicago Bulls has had one major undertone, develop Matas Buzelis. The 21-year-old sophomore forward came into the year knowing it was his time to shine. After a rookie campaign that included coming off the bench for 49 games and seeing frequent stretches of minimal minutes or a quick trigger after mistakes, he didn’t crumble under the mounting frustrations. With a longer leash and more freedom on both sides of the ball, he’s excelled in every category. While playing 29.1 minutes per night, compared to last year’s 18.9, he’s nearly doubled his scoring average, increased his shooting percentages across the board, and added to his assist, rebound, block, and steal numbers. For a franchise that was longing for a player to show substantial development after their rookie year, Buzelis has delivered just that. While the dramatic increases in statistics have taken all of the headlines, this evolution from the youngster might be more important than any other category.
Becoming The Go-To Guy
Last year and halfway through this season, the Bulls struggled to find an identity. They featured a different leading scorer each night, offensive sets were run for nearly everyone on the roster at times, and with veteran pieces outlasting their welcome, nobody knew who the top dog was. Nikola Vucevic was often the option for game-winning shots, Coby White was the consistent offensive weapon in the fourth quarter of games, and Josh Giddey consistently runs the show as he becomes more acclimated to the roster. Over the last six weeks, Buzelis has cemented his position as the group’s leader.
A wild clutch sequence in the Rockets-Bulls last night:
Josh Giddey with the clutch 3 to give the Bulls the lead, Matas Buzelis with the clutch 3, and Kevin Durant with huge back to back clutch 3s to cut the lead to 3, and Buzelis with the clutch driving layup on Reed Sheppard… pic.twitter.com/cfV1uvHdz4
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 24, 2026
In his last 13 outings, he’s scored 20 or more in eight of them, including a career-high 41 on 16-of-28 from the field. His rapid improvement in controlling pace and scoring at the highest level from anywhere on the floor has introduced All-Star potential.
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Versatility Is Key
In today’s NBA, two things are key. Three-point shooting and defensive versatility have become king, and Buzelis is mastering both. His three-point shooting has improved from his rookie year, even as he has doubled his attempts per night, and in the explosive category, he joined some elite company with his sniping and shot-blocking.
Players in the NBA this season to record 100+ 3PM & 100+ BLK:
• Victor Wembanyama
• Matas BuzelisThat’s it. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VWlH79bW43
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) March 17, 2026
Buzelis has shown improvements in any way, shape, or form this season, but above all, he’s learning to compete at the highest levels. He’s always said that he wants to be the best, and in order to do so, he’s got to beat the best. A clash with superstars Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant did just that, but the kid didn’t back down. Seeing a 21-year-old go toe-to-toe with legends of the game is a very promising sign for Bulls fans.
Kevin Durant on Matas Buzelis: "I like Matas. I liked him when he was with G League Ignite. He's long, athletic, can shoot it. He's definitely going to have some bumps and bruises as he gets through his first few years in the league trying to figure things out. (cont.)
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 23, 2025
LUKA VS. MATAS: Luka Doncic says Matas Buzelis’ trash-talk “woke [him] up” & he then dropped 51 Points 😳🗣️
“In the second quarter, I kind of felt it. Somebody started talking to me and it woke me up. Matas Buzelis,” Doncic said. I was surprised… It woke me up. I was shocked.… pic.twitter.com/MmVBCIaouf
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 13, 2026
Even though the national media took this as an opportunity to school the sophomore on the levels in the NBA, Chicago should be proud. It’s tough to find many guys who would ruffle the feathers and go back and forth with a star of Doncic’s caliber in their second season in the league.
Buzelis’s pure talent and competitive personality have quickly made him a fan-favorite and franchise cornerstone.
