Matas Buzelis

To navigate through the sometimes-rocky waters of one’s first NBA season, the rookie in question often needs to have both a strong support system and unshakeable, sky-high confidence. Having already proven the latter to the Chicago Bulls’ faithful, Matas Buzelis confirmed that his vertical leap could be described all the same. Among the first to enter the fastbreak fray after Dennis Schröder’s missed layup, Chicago’s No. 11 pick races out, needing a demonstrative move with two different Brooklyn Nets defenders quickly closing in. Taking flight from a step outside of the Bulls’ red-painted area, Buzelis charges fiercely, powering in an acrobatic, double-clutch jam, providing the Windy City with a much-needed opening-quarter statement. Momentum would belong to the Bulls throughout the rest of December 2, 2024’s encounter, as Chicago controlled the scoreboard through a 26-point triumph. In what marked the best game of his career to date, Buzelis captured awe through a 20-point showcase (on a near-perfect 7-of-10 shooting), paired with five rebounds, one assist, two blocks, four 3-pointers, and a +17 plus-minus in 22 minutes.

Rookie Year

Rookie Mint