ESPN finally dropped its season preview for the Chicago Bulls, and in a shocking twist absolutely no one saw coming, the worldwide leader identified the team's No. 1 storyline as the development of Matas Buzelis.
Yes, the same 21-year-old forward every Bulls fan has been obsessed with since draft night—the same player who has already shown the most upside among the entire young core. ESPN isn't offering analysis; it's simply confirming what every Bulls enthusiast already knows: this is the Buzelis season.
The obvious storyline: Matas Buzelis
To be fair, they're not wrong. The No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has the kind of upside that Chicago hasn't drafted in years. Whether he continues to grow into a valid No. 1 option will determine how quickly this team can break its decade-long drought of first-round exits. The Bulls have been stuck in that murky middle ground—too good to tank, too inconsistent to contend—and Buzelis represents the first real chance at changing that entire narrative.
The pace shift is real
ESPN did note some promising context, though. With its rank among the league leaders with 21.1 transition possessions a game, the Bulls' new commitment to pace feels like a real identity shift and the way forward. It is not so much fast for the sake of fast; it is a controlled chaos built around multiple ball handlers and shooters stretching defenses from every angle. Think, the Indiana Pacers' blueprint from last season, but with more wingspan and flair. This is the biggest legitimate strength that Chicago's young core can build around.
The predictable concern and the Giddey revelation
Still, the "biggest concern" label was predictable: lack of direction. Chicago's young core is promising, but the front office still walks that thin line between building and competing. That said, the network's "bold but realistic" prediction for Josh Giddey is the true headline.
The idea that Giddey flirts with triple-doubles on a nightly basis is not only exciting but essential. If Giddey, the newly extended guard, can master the pace and unlock Buzelis' scoring rhythm, the Bulls' offense will look much more coherent than the critics fixate on "lack of direction" expect.
So yes, ESPN stated the obvious—but sometimes the obvious is precisely what matters. The Bulls' fate hinges on whether Buzelis' flashes turn into full-season firepower. Everything else—the pace, the chemistry, the direction—flows from that development.
If Buzelis grows into the player the Bulls believe he can be, ESPN's "obvious" storyline won't just define this season—it'll mark the moment Chicago's long rebuild finally found its face.