New head coach Tiago Splitter wants to turn the Chicago Bulls into a winning team again. Developing the 6-foot-9, two-way playmaker would be a good start in achieving that goal.
Tiago Splitter climbed through the NBA coaching ranks due to his reputation for player development. Now the head coach for the Chicago Bulls, Splitter will attempt to maximize the potential of young rising star Matas Buzelis.
The 6-foot-9 forward was Chicago's most consistent player last season, his second in the league. Buzelis turns 22 years old in October and is widely perceived as the highest-upside player on the Bulls' roster.
During his introductory press conference on Wednesday, Splitter was asked about Buzelis' development as a player. The Bulls' new head coach has already had the chance to meet Buzelis and is committed to training the Chicago native the right way.
"I've been studying him more and more, of course, getting to know him," Splitter said. "We're going to work every day hard to get him to be the best player he can be. Nobody knows yet what is his ceiling. He's gonna show, slowly, the player that he's going to be, and we're not going to stop working."
Apr 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) rebounds against Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesThis past season, Buzelis started 77 games and nearly doubled all of his counting stats from his rookie year. He averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, but the most promising part of his season was what Buzelis did down the stretch. In 22 games after the All-Star break — without Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic or Coby White on the team — Buzelis was more aggressive on the offensive end and went for a nightly 19.0 points and 6.9 rebounds.
Buzelis' unique athleticism at his size makes him a weapon anywhere on the court. Defensively, he's versatile and able to switch against wing scorers and undersized centers. Offensively, Buzelis is a threat in transition and tough to stop when his momentum leads him downhill.
Still, there's a lot of room for Buzelis' game to grow. Splitter may be the coach who can best lead the young forward to where he wants to go.
"He's a guy that learns fast; that's what people have said to me," Splitter said. "He's going to continue to get better physically. He's going to continue to shoot better. He's going to read better, become a better defender. He's a complete package. You've got to work everything, then see on the day-to-day where he can affect better to win basketball games. We see him as a very complete player on both ends, defense and offense."
Whether Buzelis will be an All-Star-caliber guy or merely an athletic role-player is yet to be seen. After all, the former first-round pick is still just 21 years old. But given Splitter's experience with developing players in a similar mold and Buzelis' desire to be great, it's far more likely that the best is yet to come for No. 14.
