Bulls Teammate Predicts Superstar Career Trajectory for Matas Buzelis

The chaotic aftermath of the NBA trade deadline and subsequent integration of new players to the roster have left the Bulls' season in ruins. Chicago is now 27-40 with 15 games to go, currently holding the No. 12 seed in the Eastern Conference and on pace for the team's worst season under Billy Donovan.

However, with great challenges also come new opportunities, and Matas Buzelis is taking full advantage of them.

The 21-year-old forward has flashed his talent since the moment he was drafted, but is now especially making a name for himself. In the six games he's played in March, Buzelis is averaging 22.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.

Buzelis is playing more aggressively than he ever has before, attacking the basket and drawing contact. His teammate and fellow forward, Jalen Smith, told Roundtable Sports that he has high expectations for the player that Buzelis can become.

"I'm happy for him, the future is bright for Matas," Smith said following Monday's shootaround. "I believe Matas is gonna be a 10-time All-Star in his career. That's just me, though. For him to have this opportunity to develop his game even more, being more of a primary option for us, I feel as though that is gonna set his career up for greatness. I'm happy just to be here for him."

If Buzelis reaches the NBA All-Star Game 10 times in his career, the Bulls' forward would share the same air as several all-time greats. Only Michael Jordan (12) was an All-Star more times in a Bulls uniform, and Scottie Pippen (7) earned the next-most selections in Chicago.

Players on other teams, such as Ray Allen, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and David Robinson, ended their careers with 10 All-Star appearances, while Hall-of-Famers like Dominique Wilkins (9), Vince Carter (8), Steve Nash (8) and Tracy McGrady (7) did not receive double-digit selections.

On the season, Buzelis' stat line features a career-best 15.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. Those numbers have only continued to climb as Buzelis' role as a slasher and primary scorer has increased.

The suburban Chicago native logged his highest-scoring game yet in last week's overtime win at Golden State. Buzelis knocked down five three-pointers and was 11-of-13 from inside the arc on the way to 41 points. Along with Josh Giddey's triple-double, Buzelis helped the Bulls pull off the upset on a night in which he also finished with six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.

Chicago's 2025-26 season may be a lost cause — the team is 6.5 games out of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament — but Buzelis' recent performances are cause for hope among Bulls fans everywhere. As Arturas Karnisovas and the rest of the Bulls' front office evaluate the talent on the roster over the 15-game closing stretch left in the season, it's clear that Chicago's most likely candidate for superstardom is already in-house.