Who is Matas Buzelis? Everything you need to know about the Bulls’ newest addition to the 2024 NBA Draft originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Matas Buzelis told ESPN after being selected with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by Bulls that he “wanted to be here.”
That’s because Buzelis, a 19-year-old forward for the G-League’s Ignite, is from here.
MORE: Matas Buzelis Q&A: Growing up in Chicago, playing in the G-League, transitioning to the NBA
Buzelis was born and raised in Chicago. His parents are Lithuanian-born and former professional basketball players; his father in the Lithuanian Basketball League. Initially a strong swimmer, he shifted his focus to basketball after playing a Covid-shortened season at Hinsdale Central High School in the Chicago suburbs.
But he didn’t expect to reap anything from his athletic career.
“I didn’t really think I was going to be a professional athlete until my freshman year of high school,” Buzelis told NBC Sports Chicago in a exclusive interview in March. “I have always been a swimmer and a video game player. I didn’t think I would be a professional athlete.”
He transferred to two different boarding schools before graduating. At the end of high school, Buzelis won the Gatorade Player of the Year award, McDonald’s All-American, and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and the Nike Hoops Summit.
From there, he decided to play for the G-League team Ignite, opting not to play in college, before the 2024 NBA Draft. He played a strong season with the Ignite, flexing his versatile offensive skills as a big man and his robust rim protection.
Buzelis was initially projected to be a top-five pick in the NBA Draft, at least a top-10 pick. But he fell one pick too many to the Bulls, exactly where he wanted to go.
“I’d feel good about that. Hometown hero!” Buzelis told NBC Sports Chicago when asked how he would feel if the Bulls drafted him. “It would be fun to play for Chicago. Just watching them when I was younger, watching Derrick Rose play. It would be an amazing experience.”
In 26 games for the Ignite this season, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He shot 44.5% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc. Buzelis also recorded 2.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per game, expanding his versatility on the defensive side of the court as well.
The Bulls have shown interest in Buzelis’ teammate Ron Holland II, sources tell KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. But the Pistons got him early with the 5th pick in the draft. But as mentioned above, it was widely expected that Buzelis would be gone by then.
Instead, he fell into the Bulls’ lap. What are they accomplishing with the six-foot step forward?
“I would say they are getting a versatile player who will work every day, even on the bad days. They’re going to get someone who, whatever the coach tells him to do, he’s going to do it,” Buzelis said. .
