CLEVELAND — Rookie Matas Buzelis doesn’t have a lot perfected just yet.
But he does have unwavering confidence in his ability and a definite swagger to him. For now, that’ll have to do.
Making his preseason debut in the Bulls’ 116-112 comeback victory Tuesday against the Cavaliers, Buzelis came off the bench for 12 points (4-for-9 shooting), five rebounds and three assists. He also had a few eye-popping moments — a nifty turnaround jumper in the paint and a blocked shot — but what mattered most to him were the final numbers on the scoreboard.
“The main thing for me is winning the game,” Buzelis said. “We had a couple of mistakes down the stretch, but we got it done.”
Matas is nice with the fallaway.@CHSN__ | @BuzelisMatas pic.twitter.com/JaLT1UM1d1
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 9, 2024
Buzelis, the 11th overall pick in the 2024 draft, played power forward but also slid over to center when coach Billy Donovan wanted to match the Cavaliers’ smaller lineup. His versatility is a welcome addition.
“We’ll give him some opportunities to get some minutes at [center], but I thought [Buzelis] was good,” Donovan said. “He was active, he runs the floor, he’s aggressive, he’s physical and he’s going to get stronger. There were some things that he obviously made mistakes on, which you expect, but, overall, I love his mentality. That’s the thing I really like.
‘‘He’s got a really good work ethic, he wants to get better and he’s got a toughness to him competitively, the way he plays.”
That competitive nature was a big reason why Buzelis was drafted by his hometown team after playing last season for G League Ignite.
Of course, the skills and physical tools are there, but there’s an “it” factor to Buzelis and his fearless style of play. It was seen firsthand in Las Vegas, where he finished as one of the Summer League’s standouts. He impressed when he defended opposing players at the rim and when he attacked them on the other end.
While that assertiveness has been tempered a bit against veteran NBA players in practice these days, it’s still there, seemingly biding its time before it resurfaces.
“I think in talking to him a little bit, he acknowledged that the first week you’re trying to get all this stuff in; you’ve got, like, six practices, and then you’re playing, right?” Donovan said. “But he just doesn’t get rattled.
“I think he knows in his mind, ‘This is going to be a process for me, but I’m going to lean into whatever the struggle is and whatever the learning curve is.’ I’ve seen guys get overwhelmed, frustrated, get down on themselves, beat themselves up — not to say he’s not self-critical because I think that he is — but he has an eternal belief in himself, and he likes the competitive part. I would say that’s the thing that’s going to allow him to constantly get better because I think he does have that.”
That drive has been obvious most of training camp, not just in the scrimmages but with the extra work he puts in before and after practice. Buzelis is self-aware enough to know that he needs it.
“Staying in the gym, staying consistent, always getting my work in, but I know what I have to work on,” he said. “Me staying in the gym, I think that’s what’s going to build my confidence even more on the floor.”
But what exactly will Buzelis develop into? Donovan thinks it can be something special.
“Now he’s got to develop and find a game for himself offensively, which I think will come in time in terms of when to shoot, drive, those types of things,” Donovan said. “But, overall, that [swagger] is going to be what allows him to be good.”
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