Jonas Valanciunas Shares Bold Proclamation On Bulls' Matas Buzelis

Buzelis' ability to score from anywhere, attacking the basket, pulling up from mid-range, or stretching the floor makes him a promising modern forward for Chicago.

In his rookie year, the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft appeared in 80 games for Chicago. The 6-foot-10 forward posted 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game, showing the kind of two-way ability that made him a lottery pick.

Valanciunas' Emotional Words for Buzelis

After the Bulls' game against the Nuggets on Tuesday, Denver's new center, Jonas Valanciunas, opened up about his relationship with Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, a relationship that goes all the way back to when Buzelis was in elementary school.

"[I've known] him since he was like seven, eight years old. He's humble, always in the gym, working, dedicating his whole time to getting better," Valanciunas said per the Bulls social media post. "I think he's very talented, and if he's going to keep working like this, he's going to be one of the greatest."

The connection between these two runs deeper than just basketball. Buzelis' father, Aidas, worked as a trainer for the Lithuanian national team, where he became close with Valanciunas.

That professional friendship then turned into something more personal, with young Matas looking up to the NBA veteran he now calls his "uncle."

"He's been in our family for a while," Buzelis explained. "He's just been one of those people in my corner that I could talk to for whatever I need. You gotta be physical with him. He's big."

The Next Step for Buzelis

When Buzelis earned expanded minutes down the stretch of the 2024-25 season, his production jumped. In his 31 starts during the 2024-25 season, he averaged 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 47.3 percent from the field, which is impressive efficiency for a teenager adjusting to NBA speed.

Through three preseason games, Buzelis looks ready for a leap in his sophomore season, too.

He's averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 three-pointers in just 20.6 minutes per game, showing improved shooting and smarter decision-making in a bigger role.

Chicago exercised their 2026-27 rookie scale team option on Buzelis in early October, and with Patrick Williams continuing to underwhelm, Buzelis appears ready to take the starting power forward spot when the regular season begins.