Matas Buzelis has turned in an intriguing first two seasons with the Chicago Bulls. He's displayed clear potential on both ends of the floor, thriving as a defensive playmaker and a dynamic scorer who is now the proper scaling of his volume away from making a leap.
If Buzelis can turn his loose collection of strengths into a cohesive display of all-around brilliance, then he'll go from being a Bulls building block to a true cornerstone alongside Caleb Wilson.
Buzelis, 21, has quietly developed into one of the better young two-way players in the NBA. He's a strong on-ball defender and explosive defensive playmaker, as well as a skilled scorer who stands to benefit from no longer being told not to shoot midrange jumpers.
At 6'8" with explosive athleticism and three-level scoring potential, Buzelis is everything the Bulls need from a wing as Wilson finds his footing as a modern 4.
Buzelis finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 2.2 three-point field goals made on .463/.349/.786 shooting. He needs to improve his efficiency as a jump shooter, but his development year-over-year was remarkable to witness.
If Buzelis can continue to build upon the growth that he displayed between his rookie and sophomore seasons, then the Bulls should have two pillars to build around.
Matas Buzelis is closing in on cornerstone status with Bulls
Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, Buzelis increased his production by 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 blocks, 0.3 steals and 1.0 three-point field goal made per game. Those balanced gains were fueled by him shooting 4.3 percent better on two-point field goals and evolving defensively.
For instance: In 2024-25, Buzelis ranked in the 16th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, per Basketball Index. In 2025-26, he made the jump to the 84th percentile.
Buzelis also took it upon himself to be more assertive on defense. He ranked in the 39th percentile in matchup difficulty as a defender in 2024-25 and leapt to the 72nd percentile in 2025-26. The 21-year-old even improved from the 33rd percentile to the 88th in screener mobile defense.
On the other end of the floor, he jumped from the 17th to the 65th percentile in rim shot making efficiency, and from the 12th percentile to the 63rd percentile in self-created shot making efficiency.
Matas Buzelis is evolving in multiple phases of the game
Still just 21 years of age, it's nothing short of noteworthy that Buzelis is improving so steadily in multiple areas of the game. That's especially true when one considers that Chicago's priorities weren't exactly aligned with winning in 2025-26.
Now sharing the frontcourt with a proven defender in Nic Claxton and a promising two-way rookie in Wilson, Buzelis could turn in a memorable third season.
There are still question marks in regard to Buzelis' consistency as a shooter, whether or not his thin frame can handle the physicality of postseason basketball, and if he can scale his scoring further. What's known, however, is that he's a dynamic two-way player who has mountains of untapped potential.
If Buzelis continues to improve in the way he already has been, then the Bulls will have a true cornerstone and a dream forward complement to Wilson.
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