Bulls coach gets candid about Matas Buzelis' upside

A Chicago Bulls coach has gotten refreshingly honest about the upside of 2025 All-Rookie forward Matas Buzelis over the years to come.

While chatting with Spotrac's Keith Smith during 2025 Summer League festivities in Las Vegas, a Bulls coach revealed just how much Chicago values Buzelis' upside.

NBA Summer League is a bit about watching basketball and a lot about talking to people around the NBA about basketball.
For @spotrac I emptied out half of my SL notebook. Here are notes from executives, coaches & scouts for all 15 Eastern Conference teams!https://t.co/P4zchFOk7f

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 21, 2025

“He’s going to be really, really good,” a Bulls coach emphatically  told Smith. “He wants it so damn bad. This kid pushes himself so hard. And you see that on the floor too. But it’s the quiet moments when you see him work. He’s wildly intense about getting better and improving.”

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After a logging a year with the G League Ignite in 2022-23, the 6-foot-10 combo forward was selected by his hometown team with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA draft. 

Buzelis wasn't a huge part of since-extended head coach Billy Donovan's rotation in the build-up to last season's NBA trade deadline, but after Chicago moved off the contract of two-time All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, the club had more touches to go around. Buzelis, point guard Josh Giddey, and shooting guard Coby White were the prime beneficiaries.

All told, Buzelis suited up for 80 regular season contests with the Bulls (31 starts), averaging 8.6 points on .454/.361/.815 shooting splits, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.9 blocks a night.

He'll join a slightly revamped Chicago squad, which now boasts another late lottery pick, raw No. 12 selection Noa Essengue, and fresh trade acquisition Isaac Okoro.

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