After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls last season, Matas Buzelis proved himself to be an exciting young prospect.
Buzelis has continued to impress this summer, standing out in the Las Vegas Summer League. The 20-year-old forward recently sat down with Bulls Insider K.C. Johnson for an exclusive interview. During their discussion, Buzelis detailed what he’s looking to improve in his game over the offseason.
“I talked to Billy a little bit,” Buzelis said. “He’s been telling me, more pick and rolls. Try to work on off-the-dribble threes, stuff like that. So I’ve always been comfortable with the ball in my hands. I’ve never stressed about having the ball in my hands, and I’ve never panicked when I have the ball in my hands. It’s second nature to me, being a primary ball handler. Just something that’s going to come with time as I work on it, getting more reps.”
Buzelis played in 80 games for the Bulls during his rookie campaign. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist per outing, shooting 45.4% from the field and 36.1% from deep. His impressive production led him to finish joint-seventh in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting.
Bulls’ Buzelis Aiming to Get Stronger This Summer
During a recent interview with ClutchPoints, Buzelis also discussed his aim of getting stronger throughout the summer months.
“Getting stronger is definitely one of my goals,” Buzelis said. “Getting stronger, just working on my three-ball. I like to work on my overall game, honestly. I feel like I could do everything on the court so I don’t limit myself. It’s gonna be exciting how I put everything together.”
Buzelis is still growing. He will naturally fill out in the coming years. However, adding some strength to his frame could certainly unlock more of his skill set, especially when dealing with screens or looking to attack the rim.
Buzelis Could Become The Face of The Chicago Bulls
In a recent episode of “The Fast Break,” for Chicago Sports Network, Johnson noted that Buzelis is doing all the little things that could see him emerge as the face of the Bulls franchise.
“One takeaway I want to add about the draft, have you seen the Bulls’ social media account? Who’s been marching (the rookies) around? Matas Buzelis,” Johnson said. “He is becoming the face of the franchise. This is no knock on Josh Giddey or Coby White who obviously are much more accomplished at the NBA level. But Matas obviously being based here and becoming very media friendly… he’s been marching these guys around and participating quite a bit in the social media aspect. That’s the future right there.”
Buzelis may or may not emerge as the most talented player on Chicago’s roster in the future. However, if he helps instill a culture within the locker room and is consistently at team events or helping out with younger players, he could slide into a leadership role with the franchise.
For now, though, it’s clear that Buzelis is focusing on improving his game and proving himself in the NBA. Everything else that comes his way will likely be treated as a bonus.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bulls’ Matas Buzelis Reveals Hopes for Key Improvements appeared first on Heavy Sports.