It was a very emotional night for Chicago native Matas Buzelis.
He was selected No. 11 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. While draft night is a special one for all in attendance, this moment meant a bit more for the forward. When Buzelis heard his name called, the emotions were visible on his face as he got teary-eyed before hugging his family members in attendance who were equally as emotional.
“I’m blessed, man,” Buzelis said immediately after being drafted. “This is what I wanted. I wanted to be here. Thanks to the Bulls organization. I’m ready to work, I was born for this.”
Buzelis is a 6-foot-9 small forward who played for the NBA G-League Ignite team this past season. He averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Yahoo Sports’ NBA Draft analyst Krysten Peek gave the Chicago Bulls an A- grade for the pick.
“Buzelis shot the ball under 30% from 3-point range during his one season with the Ignite but has great size at 6-foot-9 and the ability to space the floor. He’s comfortable taking players off the dribble and has good footwork and ball skills in dribble hand-offs on the wing.”
Buzelis grew up in Willowbrook, Illinois, just a few miles away from Chicago. He played his freshman year at Hinsdale Central High School, suiting up for the sophomore team. He went on to play at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, and Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas during his senior season.
His parents, Kristina Jankauskaitė and Aidas Buzelis, played professionally in their native Lithuania. Buzelis’ father played in the Lithuanian Basketball League.
