Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis turned in an impressive showing at the NBA Summer League, which took place in Las Vegas earlier this month.
The No. 11 overall pick played all five games, starting in four of them. He threw down monster dunks, some in traffic, including two on Saturday. He stared down opponents. He talked trash. He sought out contact, getting to the line 27 times
And while he obviously needs to build strength and fill out his frame to more properly play through contact, the fact he didn’t back down from much of anything throughout summer league spoke volumes.
Defensively, Buzelis showed strong instincts with shot-blocking and a willingness to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter. He has said becoming a two-way force at the next level is his goal. He blocked 10 shots in summer league.
His impact caught the attention of SB Nation, who ranked him as the third best rookie at this year's Summer League.
"Buzelis was tabbed as a lottery pick for his potential to play on the perimeter offensively at 6’10, but he proved in summer league he can also make an impact with his energy and activity while his skill set develops," SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell wrote.
His two blocks and two steals per game were of particular note, as was his willingness to shoot the three despite a rough 6-for-28 showing.
"The 19-year-old will struggle with his scoring efficiency as a rookie, but his high motor will make him productive even as his body and shooting stroke develops," O'Donnell wrote.
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