Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis will be one of the most exciting second-year players to watch in the NBA this season, according to Jeremy Woo of ESPN.
The buzz is growing around the 20-year-old. He displayed flashes of star potential during his rookie season, but people in and around the league truly began to take notice late in the year.
Buzelis went from averaging 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game with zero starts through the end of January to ending the season as a Second Team All-Rookie selection.
It's the latter version of the Chicago native that has analysts predicting a major leap in 2025-26.
The Matas Buzelis hype train is gaining steam
Once he hit the starting lineup for good on Feb. 5, Buzelis became one of the best rookies in the NBA. Over those 31 games, all starts, his averages jumped to 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 stocks. (His 75 blocks led the team last year.)
Buzelis passed the eye test too; he showed an elite level of athleticism and explosiveness as a 6-foot-10 player capable of manning either forward spot. There were glimpses of what he could become as a finished product -- locking up wings and flying in from the weakside for highlight-reel blocks on defense and draining open threes, creating off the dribble and viciously attacking the rim on the other end.
"Buzelis was once viewed as a contender for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft class, pointing to his significant potential as a tall, skilled perimeter scorer," Woo wrote. "As he continues to add strength and hone his shooting, Buzelis has a huge runway both from a development and role perspective. With the Bulls perennially in play-in limbo, their best path forward likely involves a prospective Buzelis star turn.
"Still only 20 years old, what type of sophomore leap he can manage is arguably the most important big-picture storyline for the Bulls going into the season."
Buzelis is expected to take on more of the playmaking load this year and will operate with the ball in his hands far more often than he did as a rookie. Head coach Billy Donovan hopes to play with even more pace than last year, when the Bulls finished second in the league in that stat. Buzelis' physical gifts, high IQ and improving ball skills lend themselves ideally to that strategy.
The former G League Ignite standout may be the closest thing Chicago has right now to a potential superstar. A second-year jump from Buzelis would give the franchise a level of hope that's been missing in recent seasons.