Matas Buzelis Bio
Matas Arvidas Buzelis is a Lithuanian American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on October 13, 2004, in Chicago, Illinois, he was drafted 11th overall by his hometown Bulls in the 2024 NBA draft after a single season with the NBA G League Ignite. Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, Buzelis has quickly established himself as one of the most promising young forwards in the league, earning a place on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2025. His combination of size, scoring touch, and athletic upside has drawn frequent comparisons to elite wing prospects from past draft classes.
Early Life and Background
Buzelis was born and raised in the Chicago area after both of his parents had played basketball professionally in Lithuania. His mother, Kristina Jankauskaitė, played for Lithuanian youth national teams and was considered one of the most promising players of her generation. His father, Aidas Buzelis, also played for multiple Lithuanian Basketball League clubs and later worked as a physiotherapist for the Lithuania men’s national basketball team. The family settled in suburban Illinois, where Matas grew up alongside a brother and sister who also shared his early interest in sports.
During his childhood, Buzelis attended a gymnastics school with his siblings before switching to swimming. He became one of the top under-10 and under-12 breaststroke swimmers in the state of Illinois. When the COVID-19 pandemic delayed basketball activities at his first high school, the family pivoted, and Buzelis eventually transitioned fully into basketball as his primary sport.
Path to Basketball
Buzelis initially attended Hinsdale Central High School in suburban Hinsdale, Illinois, where he played on the sophomore team as a freshman. When the Hinsdale Central basketball season was postponed due to concerns related to the pandemic, he transferred to Brewster Academy, a boarding school in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. As a junior, he was named the 2022 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. He was also selected to play for Team World in the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit.
Before his senior year, Buzelis transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. He averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field, 42.4 percent from three-point range, and 80 percent from the free throw line. He was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game and was named MVP of the Basketball Without Borders camp during the 2023 NBA All-Star weekend. Rated as a consensus five-star recruit, he chose to begin his professional career with the NBA G League Ignite over college programs including Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida State, and Wake Forest.
Matas Buzelis Career
Early Career (2023–2024)
On May 31, 2023, Buzelis officially signed with the NBA G League Ignite, becoming one of the highest-profile prospects to join the developmental program. During the 2023–24 NBA G League season, he averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, showcasing a versatile scoring skill set for a player listed at 6 feet 8 inches.
His lone Ignite season served as a bridge between elite high school competition and the NBA. Scouts credited his time with the program with sharpening his defensive instincts and improving his decision-making against professional-level athletes.
Chicago Bulls Era (2024–Present)
Buzelis was selected with the 11th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2024 NBA draft. He signed a rookie-scale contract on July 2, 2024, and made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, in a 123–111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. On February 4, 2025, he scored 24 points while shooting 10-for-10 from the field in a 133–124 win over the Miami Heat, and on March 22 he posted a career-high 31 points in a 146–115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. On March 29, he recorded 28 points, nine rebounds, and six assists against the Dallas Mavericks, becoming only the third Bulls rookie to reach those numbers in a single game, joining Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley.
After his playing time expanded in the second half of his rookie season and he started 31 games, Buzelis averaged 13 points on 47.3 percent shooting and 4.5 rebounds per game. On January 20, 2025, he committed to the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend, becoming the first Lithuanian player ever to compete in the event and the first Bulls participant since Tyrus Thomas in 2007. He opened his second NBA season with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a season-opening win over the Detroit Pistons.
Notable Events and Milestones
Buzelis recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds on April 4, 2025, in a 118–113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His selection to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team confirmed his standing among the top first-year players of his draft class.
Matas Buzelis Career Achievements
Across his brief professional career, Buzelis has compiled an impressive list of accolades spanning high school, the NBA G League, and the NBA. His honors include selection to the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit, the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, the 2023 Jordan Brand Classic, and the 2025 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Major Honors
Buzelis earned Most Valuable Player honors at the 2023 Basketball Without Borders camp held during NBA All-Star weekend. He also received the 2022 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year award during his junior season at Brewster Academy.
Matas Buzelis Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Buzelis comes from one of Lithuania’s most accomplished basketball families. His maternal grandfather, Arvydas Jankauskas, is a former basketball player and coach, while his paternal grandfather, Petras Buzelis, debuted for Žalgiris Kaunas at 19 years old, later served as team captain, and won six Lithuanian League titles and three USSR Premier Basketball League bronze medals. His paternal grandmother, Elena Buzelienė, is regarded as an all-time great Lithuanian handball player who won two European Champions Cups.
Personal Life
Buzelis speaks Lithuanian in addition to English and holds dual Lithuanian and American nationality. He grew up in the Chicago area and remains closely tied to his family, who introduced him to competitive sports at a young age through gymnastics and swimming before he turned to basketball.
2025 Season Performance
Buzelis opened his second NBA season in strong form, recording 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a season-opening victory over the Detroit Pistons. After a rookie year in which he became only the third Bulls rookie to post at least 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in a single game, expectations around his sophomore campaign have risen sharply.
Throughout the early portion of the 2025 season, Buzelis has continued to develop his three-point shooting and playmaking while splitting time at both forward positions. His expanding role within the Bulls’ rotation reflects the organization’s confidence in his long-term potential as a two-way wing.
As the season progresses, Buzelis remains focused on helping the Bulls compete in the Eastern Conference playoff picture while refining his consistency on both ends of the floor. His combination of size, perimeter skill, and basketball IQ continues to mark him as a central piece of Chicago’s rebuilding effort.