CHICAGO, IL – FEBRUARY 12: Matas Buzelis #14 of Chicago Bulls drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on February 12, 2025 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
In what has long been the hallmark event of the NBA All-Star weekend, Chicago Bulls rookie and Chicago-area native Matas Buzelis will get the chance to showcase his skills in the 2025 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest.
Buzelis will join two-time defending champion Mac McClung, Andre Jackson Jr. and Stephon Castle in this year's event at the Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the Golden State Warriors.
Notably, Buzelis' participation Saturday marks the first time a Bulls player has taken part in the contest since 2007, when Tyrus Thomas finished fourth out of four contestants, behind Dwight Howard, former Bull Nate Robinson and Gerald Green.
Before that, the latest Bull to take the spotlight on the Saturday night event was Scottie Pippen in 1990, two years after Michael Jordan completed his second of back-to-back victories in iconic dunk contests.
Buzelis is also the lone Bulls player taking part in this weekend's festivities, with the club not having any representatives in the three-point contest or skills challenge.
The Slam Dunk Contest will air on TNT at 7 p.m. CST, marking the final season that TNT will air All-Star weekend events.
Under the new NBA deal starting in 2025-26, NBC will air the 2026 All-Star Game, marking the first time the network will air the game since 2002, the final season in NBC's previous deal with the NBA.
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