Nikola Vucevic's 28 points and 14 boards powered the Bulls to their first victory of the season on Wednesday, but it was a 21-year-old who stole the show.

Amid a streak of three consecutive play-in losses and sub-.500 records, Bulls fans have latched onto 2024 first-rounder and Chicago native Matas Buzelis as the future of the franchise. The 6-foot-10 forward has been the hot topic of discussion this offseason after earning a bigger role last spring and visibly putting on muscle over the summer.

In the Bulls' season-opening 115-111 win over the Pistons, Buzelis did not disappoint. The fan favorite showed Chicagoans everything they had hoped for and more in his sophomore debut, totaling 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, six rebounds and three blocks. And perhaps most exciting for those fans were a pair of thunderous jams that sent the United Center into a frenzy.

"Matas is fearless in a lot of ways, he just is," head coach Billy Donovan said after the game. "He's not afraid, and he's competitive. He's driven, and I think that's why he's got a great opportunity to realize his potential and ability. He's incredibly athletic, very explosive, and he's very light on his feet. He gets off the floor very quickly."

Even more noteworthy is how well Buzelis played in the clutch. Shortly after putting Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart on a poster, the sophomore beat Duncan Robinson off the dribble and finished with a left-handed scoop layup. The Bulls' lead eventually fully vanished, but Buzelis' athleticism came through when it mattered. This alley-oop from Tre Jones was a critical moment in Chicago's four-point victory.

In the eyes of many Bulls fans, Matas Buzelis has already arrived, but Donovan is not yet ready to crown the 21-year-old. According to the Hall of Fame coach, Buzelis still has much to learn and improve at.

"The dunks are a byproduct of his athleticism and his explosiveness, but let's be honest; Tre threw it to him, and he ran out of the corner and caught it and dunked it," Donovan said. "He was in transition and [Isaac Okoro] found him in the middle of the floor when he dunked on Stewart. I am not taking away that those were highlight, spectacular, athletic plays. God gifted him with that. He's got that, and he's fearless. But how else can he impact the game when the dunks get taken away? They were incredible, but the rebounding part, handling the ball against pressure late in the game, those kind of things."

It's hard not to put the cart before the horse with Buzelis, especially for a franchise that's been devoid of young talent with star potential for so long. But Donovan intends to develop Buzelis the right way by making him an all-around player, and these flashes in year two are just the beginning for No. 14.

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