Bulls lottery pick makes surprising decision on first day with franchise

The Chicago Bulls selected Matas Buzelis with the No. 11 pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft, and Buzelis surprised Bulls fans less than 24 hours later with an unexpected decision.

Buzelis, who wore No. 13 as a member of NBA G League Ignite last season, will be wearing a very different uniform number as a member of the Bulls.

Chicago announced on Thursday that Buzelis will don No. 00.

Buzelis' uniform decision came as a shock to many Bulls fans, especially with star guard Coby White already wearing No. 0. Some feel that having a No. 0 and a No. 00 on the same team -- and ostensibly, on the court at the same time -- is redundant, if not confusing.

Buzelis apparently doesn't care. It remains unclear what went into the rookie's uniform decision.

Before wearing No. 13 for Ignite, Buzelis also wore No. 13 in high school at Sunrise Christian Academy and Brewster Academy.

No. 13 was worn on the Bulls last season by Torrey Craig, whose status with the team moving into 2024-25 remains uncertain.

News of Buzelis' No. 00 is sure to be supplanted in the coming days by more urgent stories regarding Chicago's free agency.

The Bulls have been incredibly active this offseason and seem to have placed all of their veterans on the trading block, signaling a youth movement headlined by Buzelis, White, and the newly acquired Josh Giddey.

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