The focus of the Chicago Bulls offseason has shifted for now as fans get their first look at Matas Buzelis.
He’s been impressive so far and looks ready to play in the NBA. He’s confident and tenacious with the ball, can score from all over the court and has already provided some highlight-reel dunks.
There were plenty of those on display in the Bulls Summer League loss to the Pistons as former teammates Buzelis and Ron Holland II met for the first time.
The 5th pick vs. the 11th pick in the draft
Matas Buzelis was long rumored to be on the Pistons’ radar with the 5th pick before they made the somewhat surprising move of taking Ron Holland II instead.
The two are similar players with shared flaws, as both have questionable long-range shots and have so far been inefficient offensively, which you would expect from rookies playing with teammates they just met.
But they didn’t disappoint in the dunk department, as both these guys can fly and treated the crowd with an array of put backs and dunks in traffic:
Ron Holland (@DetroitPistons) and Matas Buzelis (@chicagobulls) went head to head for the FIRST time! 🔥
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 17, 2024
The former @gleagueignite teammates both put on a show, showcasing some awesome two-way play in the process. pic.twitter.com/DfRQKE7Fw4
Buzelis and Holland II are friends from their time with the G-League Ignite, but that’s not going to stop them from going at each other, and this one should be interesting to watch and argue about, as it's possible that if the Pistons had taken Buzelis, Holland might have ended up with the Bulls.
It could be just enough to spark an old rivalry that needs to be renewed.