The 2024 NBA draft is off and running, and the Chicago Bulls have officially made their first-round pick by selecting G-League Ignite wing Matas Buzelis. Buzelis, the 5th-best prospect in the NBA draft, is a Chicago kid, so the homecoming is a neat story. At 6'10 and able to jump out of his shoes, Buzelis can play a multitude of positions and will likely get a chance to contribute right away in Chicago. Even so, he does need to grow into his frame and shore up his outside shooting and ball handling. At 19, though, he'll have time.
With that said, let's dive into fan reactions to the Bulls selecting Matas Buzelis.
Welcome home @MatasBuzelis , wishing you the best with @chicagobulls but never forget your @RedDevilsAD roots#HCBringYourFire https://t.co/Crb2d7fmLv pic.twitter.com/tNAmSSQ1gX
— Hinsdale Central HS (@ThisIsHCHS) June 27, 2024
It is always cool when a hometown kid gets picked up by his local team. We saw it with Derrick Rose and Ayo Dosunmu, and now we see it with Buzelis. The high school he briefly attended, Hinsdale Central, sent him a shout-out, which is fun to see.
Future Bulls Legend, Matas Buzelis pic.twitter.com/UCabor9YTH
— (@Ayo_Muse) June 27, 2024
I mean, when an expected top-5 pick falls in your team's lap at 11, it is fair to be pumped about it. Buzelis is bursting at the seams with upside, so we will have to see if he reaches legend status. He's got a lot of learning and growing to do.
Matas Buzelis is so happy to be drafted by his hometown team that he’s brought to tears.
— Jordan (@TreJ0RDAN) June 27, 2024
Bulls, please do him right by developing him and your other young stars the right way with a proper rebuild to give them minutes.
It is certainly fair to want to see the brand-new draft pick play a lot of minutes right away. It is also certainly fair to want the middling Bulls to tear it down and rebuild with Buzelis and players like Josh Giddey. We'll see if that actually occurs, though.
I’m very happy for Matas Buzelis, but we just gonna ignore he’s an awful fit with Giddey?
— Aaron Larsuel (@AaronLarsuel) June 27, 2024
Speaking of a rebuild centered around Buzelis and Giddey, some fans aren't feeling the fit between the two. Buzelis's 22.2% shooting from three is certainly not an inspiring number for adding a weapon alongside Giddey's playmaking. Scouts seem to think Buzelis's shooting will come around, though, so we will see.
Matas Buzelis is not crying because he’s happy he’s crying because he knows his career’s over
— Andrew (@Gucci_Gotch) June 27, 2024
Buzelis probably had the best reaction of the draft. He was brought to tears when Chicago selected him. Here's a different take on why he was crying.
I think Matas Buzelis' brother heard his last name being called and thinks the Bulls drafted him
— Matthew Peterson (@MatthewPetey) June 27, 2024
Fans are having a lot of fun at Buzelis's brother's expense as cameras caught the younger Buzelis crying once his brother got picked. He's just happy for his brother! Let him be!
Overall, fans seem to be thrilled with the move. That's fair: many thought he was a lock for the Detroit Pistons at 5, and then he just kept falling. There are questions and haters—as there always are—but Bulls Nation seems to be along for the Buzelis ride.
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