While the Chicago Bulls' future is anything but bright at this point in time, one player is doing all he can to aid in the revival of a once-storied organization. After being selected with the 11th-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Matas Buzelis is slowly turning into Chicago's most prized prospect in years.
The 20-year-old rookie started the season slow, seeing the court for only 32 minutes over his first seven contests. Buzelis would see an uptick in minutes later on, but his role would stagnate in late December. From December 23 to January 27, the 6-foot-10 wing never saw more than 20 minutes nor less than 10 in any appearance.
Things changed once Zach LaVine missed time and Patrick Williams was sent to the bench. From January 29 onward, Buzelis has seen 20 or more minutes in every game but one—a 40-point blowout against the Detroit Pistons. The rookie has even started all four of Chicago's previous contests. After averaging 5.3 points in November, 6.6 in December, and 5.7 in January, Buzelis is up to 14.8 in February. Furthermore, the 20-year-old has converted 60.3 percent of his field goals and 40.0 of his triples through six games in February.
Buzelis has been named an injury replacement in the Rising Stars game
The NBA has seemingly noticed Buzelis's recent ascent. The 20-year-old has been named an injury replacement, filling in for New Orleans Pelicans' Yves Missi in the Castrol Rising Stars game. Buzelis will join the Thompson twins on the Mitch Richmond-coached "Team M."
Matas Buzelis: Rising Star 🤩
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 14, 2025
Matas will compete tonight in the NBA’s Rising Stars game! pic.twitter.com/SqnlcA7GM4
Buzelis joins a long list of Bulls to compete in the annual Rising Stars showdown. He's the 18th Bull to take part in the contest. However, the former G-League Ignite star will be the first Bull to participate in both the Rising Stars game and NBA All-Star Saturday night, as Buzelis will compete in the dunk contest.
The Rising Stars game has higher stakes than ever before this season. Four teams, comprising rookies, sophomores, and G-Leaguers, will compete in a single-elimination semifinal before a winner-take-all championship game. The champion will represent 'Candace's Rising Stars' in Sunday's NBA All-Star game.
The Rising Stars champion is set to battle 'Shaq's OGs' in Sunday night's semifinal. The youngsters will be up for a tall task, as Shaq's team features future Hall-of-Famers LeBron James, Stephon Curry, and Kevin Durant, among other greats. Chicago's prized rookie will potentially suit up for three straight nights, ultimately competing against the league's best in the NBA All-Star game.