Bulls Rookie Chosen For NBA Dunk Contest 

On Monday night it was announced that Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis has officially accepted an invitation to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.

Drafted at No. 11 overall by the Bulls in the 2024 NBA Draft, Buzelis has long wowed with his athleticism, dating back to his time with both the G League Ignite and even as a five-star as Sunrise Christian Academy, but now he’ll officially have his chance to shine under the spotlight.

He's put up a variety of highlight-level dunks in his high school and professional careers, and will certainly be a worthy addition to the event.

So far, Buzelis’ hasn’t stood out among the 2024 NBA class, which has performed as expected by many experts. But as a late-lottery pick, he was a long-term play on  Chicago’s part, as they hope he turns into a star with length, ball-handling and jump-shooting.

On Monday night, Buzelis didn’t see the most productive game — scoring just five points on an inefficient 1-for-6 shooting, adding four rebounds and finish as a -11 plus-minus. Still, he was able to impact the game to some degree, using his length for stingy help defense in helping the Bulls to a win over the Clippers. He started the second half in place of Patrick Williams.

Prior to the game against LA, Buzelis has poured on 4.9 points on just 38% shooting so far this season, but still possesses a highly-coveted skillset as a potentially impactful two-way wing at 6-foot-9.

The Bulls next take on the Warriors on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. The NBA All-Star break will begin on Feb. 16.