On Wednesday, the Bulls committed to a youth movement, selecting 19-year-old Matas Buzelis with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Who is Matas Buzelis? Here are some of the important facts to know about Buzelis.
Who is Matas Buzelis?
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Buzelis is a 6-foot-10 forward of the G-League Ignite, selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Where is Matas Buzelis from?
Buzelis was born and raised in Chicago. His parents are both Lithuanian. Buzelis attended Chicago suburb high school Hinsdale Central for one Covid-shortened season. He played at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas then Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.
How old is Matas Buzelis?
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Buzelis is 19 years old. He was born on Oct. 13, 2004.
How did Matas Buzelis get to the NBA?
Initially, Buzelis was a strong swimmer growing up. He shifted his focus to basketball after playing one lone season at Hinsdale Central. After proving himself as one of the nation's best high school basketball players, he committed to the G-League Ignite.
The Ignite is an NBA G-League team dedicated to developing young, upcoming NBA talent. It's an alternate route for NBA prospects to join instead of playing college basketball. Buzelis and his teammate, Ron Holland II, were both drafted within the top 11 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
In 26 games with the Ignite this past season, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He shot 44.5% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc. He also posted 2.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per game, flexing his versatility on the defensive side of the floor, too.
What was Matas Buzelis' reaction to being drafted by the Bulls?
Buzelis told NBC Sports Chicago in an exclusive interview in March that he would be excited to play for his hometown team.
"I'd feel good about it. Hometown hero!" Buzelis said then. "It'd be fun to play for Chicago. Just watching them when I was younger, watching Derrick Rose play. It'd be a dope experience."
After the moment arrived, he joined a Zoom call with the media to discuss his being drafted to Chicago.
"Super thankful," he said via Zoom. "I'm very grateful. I worked really hard to get here. I just can't thank the Bulls organization enough. This means the world. Me being born and raised there, it just makes it so much better. It means everything to me. I can't even explain it."