In a recent podcast interview, a future Hall of Fame player praised Matas Buzelis’s development so far this season. The 2025 induction finalist says the Bulls have a special player in the 6’10 Lithuanian forward. He believes that he could have been a top pick in his class had he not gone to the NBA G-League.
Matas Buzelis Praised by Future Hall of Famer in Interview
In a recent episode of his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, Carmelo Anthony had nothing but good things to say about Buzelis, the Bulls’ rookie forward. He spoke of being impressed with his development from the High School/AAU circuit, into the G-League, and presently the Chicago Bulls.
Carmelo Anthony loves Matas Buzelis and thinks he could’ve been the top pick in the draft:
“I f**k with Matas. He could’ve been the top pick in the draft. I think Chicago has something with Matas.”
Via (@7PMinBrooklyn) pic.twitter.com/wIjekudBrS
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) February 14, 2025
Instead of going the traditional college route, Buzelis opted to play for the NBA’s G-League Ignite. This choice let him play with a more experienced mix of aspiring and former NBA players. Buzelis hoped the G-league route would better prepare his development for the league running more common NBA schemes. Another notable player who chose this similar route was Houston Rockets guard, Jalen Green.
For the Ignite, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 26 games. Notably, Buzelis also finished in the top 5 for blocks with 2.1.
Rather than help his draft stock as intended, the Ignite ultimately hurt it. According to Anthony, if Buzelis chose to go to the NCAA he would have been a top draft pick in his class. Buzelis fell out of the top-10 where the Bulls picked him at #11. The poor system and management of the Ignite are believed to be the reasons Buzelis was not a top-5 pick. After his lone G-League season, the Ignite was shut down by the NBA as it was failing to live up to its intended goal.
Had he chosen the college pathway, he did have official offers from Florida State, Kentucky, Wake Forest, and UNC.
Regardless of how his draft went down, what matters is that the Bulls were lucky enough to get a top-10 talent at #11. Talent that is loved by the fans and a future Hall of Fame player like Anthony admires.
The Bulls Finally Pushing Buzelis’s Development
In a final comment, Anthony and his co-star share a joke about him becoming that “something” if Billy Donovan would give him more minutes. Since Jan 29, Buzelis has received a minutes increase and shined in the spotlight.
In his last 8 games, Buzelis has been playing 26 minutes per game. In that stretch, he has averaged 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He has also been shooting 48.5% from three on 33 attempts. This stretch included a 24-point game without a missed field goal and no free throws.
Anthony is keeping his eye on Buzelis’s development and the rest of the NBA should too. If a player like Anthony has praise for a young player like this, everyone should keep their eyes open. Bulls fans already thought it, but Anthony agrees that Chicago has something special in Buzelis.
© Matt Marton-Imagn Images
