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Matas Buzelis: "To be honest, who I really want to work with is Deni Avdija. I've been talking with him. It's just, I feel like I was shooting too many threes. I need to get to the rim more. I want to know like how he lowers his shoulder, how he attacks. I seen him in Vegas. We're supposed to work out this weekend. He's somebody, Franz Wagner, probably him, KD, of course. That's who everybody needs to work out with, but I think right now Deni Avdija."
Matas Buzelis: "I hate how people were like, Matas went to the G League because of the money. People were making 2 million in college. I got offered some money to go to college, but it was never about the money. I couldn't really be in the college environment, to be honest. I knew I was going to the G League since I was 15. My coach kept telling me like, you going to Ignite, you going to Ignite. And it came to fruition."
Appearing on the "Ball In The Family" podcast, Chicago Bulls star Matas Buzelis recently identified several players he hopes to train with during the offseason. When asked to name his preferred workout partner, the Lithuanian forward brought up Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija. "Who I really want to work with is Deni Avdija. I've been talking with him and I just feel like I was shooting too many threes. I need to get to the rim more. I wanna know how he lowers his shoulder, how he attacks. I've seen him in Vegas, we're supposed to workout this weekend."
Joel Lorenzi: Caleb Wilson said he got to know Matas Buzelis some before the draft, and that Matas was at his draft workout. "He's always been someone that I believed is a great guy." Continued: "I know Josh Giddey is a great guard, really unselfish. I'm excited to play with him."
Chicago Bulls young star Matas Buzelis will have help from his club to accommodate the transition to European basketball. According to Lukas Katilius from BasketNews.lt, Buzelis will arrive at the national team camp accompanied by the Bulls assistant coach Pete Crawford and strength and conditioning coach Justin Irwin.
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Without the roster filled out, it’s unclear how Graham’s and Splitter’s shared vision will play out on the court. Among the few noteworthy assets he inherited, Splitter believes in Matas Buzelis. Not seemingly one to guarantee anything, Splitter still detailed prioritizing the 2024 first-rounder. “I’ve been studying him more and more, getting to know him,” Splitter said. “We’re gonna work every day to get him to be the best player he can be. I think nobody knows yet what is his ceiling. “He’s a guy that learns fast. That’s what people have said to me. He’s going to continue to get better physically, he’s going to continue to shoot better, he’s going to read better, become a better defender. We see him as a very complete player (on) both ends.”
Joel Lorenzi: Tiago Splitter on Matas Buzelis: "Nobody knows yet what his ceiling is. He’s gonna slowly show what kind of player he’s gonna be. … He’s gonna shoot better. He’s gonna read better. He’s gonna be a better defender.”
The Lithuanian national team has revealed its shortened 15-player roster for the July World Cup qualifying window, with three NBA players making the list. The squad includes Matas Buzelis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving Lithuania a strong NBA presence heading into the summer window. However, one major name is missing from the candidate list. Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis was not included in the 30-man roster.
Matas Buzelis, a member of the Chicago Bulls, will play for the Lithuanian national team this summer in the World Cup qualifying games. Buzelis revealed this news himself during an interview in Vilnius. “We had a good conversation. I will play for the national team this summer. It will be a lot of fun,” he said during an interview at the Buzelis Cup in Vilnius.
The Lithuanian national team has revealed its preliminary 30-player roster for the July World Cup qualifying window, with three NBA players making the list. The squad includes Matas Buzelis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving the team strong NBA presence heading into the summer window.
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KC Johnson: Matas Buzelis said he called Billy Donovan after dismissals of Arturas Karnišovas and Marc Eversley to address Donovan’s future: “I want him to stay. I’m riding with him forever. He’s a cornerstone for my career.”
Matas Buzelis is tired of getting pushed around. It isn’t a matter of intent. No one is more eager to dunk on an opponent than Buzelis. He’s tough. He seeks contact. He’s not afraid to body up to the biggest stars, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to LeBron James to Kevin Durant. But Buzelis often writes checks that his body simply can’t cash. “I mean, look at me. I’m skinny as hell,” Buzelis told the Tribune. “I definitely have to add strength. Your body’s a temple, so you really want to take care of it.”
“He’s got to get stronger,” coach Billy Donovan said. “That’s the biggest thing — fighting over screens, on the glass. Sometimes the strength part neutralizes his athleticism and neutralizes his skills. … For a young player, putting on good quality strength can make them a lot better. He needs that. I think you’re seeing that. I’m glad that’s getting exposed, because that’s something we can address in the offseason.”
K.C. Johnson: Josh Giddey out, Matas Buzelis out, Nick Richards out Vs. Suns, per Donovan
