Bulls Showing Interest in NBA Draft Prospect Matas Buzelis

The Chicago Bulls are in desperate need of some draft luck this year. To improve their roster in the short and long term, they'll need to keep their options open, including trading up from the 11th overall pick . According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony , the Bulls are considering that route in their pursuit of Matas Buzelis.

Matas Buzelis' 2024 NBA Draft Outlook

Matas Buzelis projects as a big wing/guard at the NBA level as his build is similar to the likes of Michael Porter Jr. and Gordon Hayward. His ball-handling skills and court vision give him the potential to be more impactful and promising than his NBA comparisons. Buzelis's jumper is smooth and could become lethal with some fine-tuning. While he may not be a No. 1 offensive option at the highest level, he has the tools to develop into an All-Star-caliber player.

Ahead of the NBA Draft, Buzelis has been playing with the NBA G League Ignite. Before taking the unconventional route of not playing college ball, he was a five-star recruit with offers from Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida State, and Wake Forest. Buzelis was intent on playing basketball professionally and felt the G League would help him do so the quickest.

Buzelis has local ties as he was born in Chicago to Lithuanian parents who were basketball players. He attended Hinsdale Central High School for his freshman year and played on their sophomore team. He then transferred to Brewster Academy midway through his sophomore year as Hinsdale had a pause on athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Brewster, Buzelis earned New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was named to the 2022 Nike Hoops Summit. Buzelis transferred again to Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, where he averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He was selected to the 2023 McDonalds All-American Game.

Based on his player profile, Buzelis has a build that Arturas Karnisovas covets. Additionally, Buzelis and the Bulls' Vice President of Basketball Operations share ties to Lithuania. However, Buzelis could come off the board early on draft night, so the Bulls may have to execute a trade-up to bring him home to Chicago.

Related: Is Isaiah Collier the Right Pick for the Bulls at No. 11?

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