Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu recently shared that Matas Buzelis was his top choice in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Speaking to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Dosunmu said, “He was the main guy I wanted them to draft last year.” The third-year wing praised Buzelis’ development, particularly his improved physicality and finishing at the rim.
Buzelis, a 6-foot-10 rookie forward from Chicago, was selected 11th overall by the Bulls after sliding in the draft despite being projected as a top-five pick during the pre-draft process.
While the Detroit Pistons passed on him in favor of Ron Holland, the Bulls took advantage of his fall to secure a hometown prospect with long-term upside.
According to Dosunmu, Buzelis has embraced the grind early in his NBA career.
“Matas is a hard worker, a tremendous worker,” he said. “He loves the work. I have high praises for him, high expectations for him.”
Dosunmu, along with teammates Coby White and Patrick Williams, organized an offseason training session in Los Angeles during early June. The group spent the week scrimmaging, lifting, and bonding as the franchise looked to bounce back from another early postseason exit.
Buzelis played 80 games in his rookie year, starting 31, and averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 45.4% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range.
He turned heads on February 4 when he shot a perfect 10-for-10 from the field en route to 24 points in a win over Miami. On March 22, he dropped a career-high 31 points in a blowout victory against the Lakers.
The rookie made history on March 29 by posting 28 points, nine rebounds, and six assists against Dallas, joining Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley as the only Bulls rookies to reach those stats in a single game.
Buzelis also became the first Bulls player since 2007 to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, and the first Lithuanian player to ever enter the event.
Despite his promising performances, the Bulls finished 39-43 and were eliminated in the first stage of the play-in tournament by the Miami Heat. They missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
Still, Dosunmu believes Buzelis has the tools to dominate the league as his body continues to evolve.
“I know Giannis is a Hall of Famer, top 20, top 30 player [all time], but Matas has a chance to really dominate the game like that,” Dosunmu said. “He’s only going to get bigger.”
