Hometown Hero: Chicago Bulls Draft Small Forward Matas Bouzelis

Chicago native Matas Bouzelis had an unforgettable night as the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The moment was even more special for him because he was picked by his hometown team, and he couldn’t hold back his emotions as he cried and hugged his equally emotional family members who were in attendance.

Immediately after being drafted, Bouzelis expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m blessed, man. This is what I wanted. I wanted to be here. Thanks to the Bulls organization. I’m ready to work, I was born for this.” At 6-foot-6, Bouzelis is a small forward who played for the NBA G-League’s Ignite, averaging 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst Kristen Peek gave the Chicago Bulls an A grade for selecting Buzelis despite shooting under 30% from three-point range during his time with the Ignite. Bouzelis has been praised for his size, ability to space the floor and skill at moving players off the dribble. He has a strong foundation in footwork and ball skills while dribbling on the wing.

Bouzelis’ basketball journey began in Willowbrook, Illinois, just a few miles from Chicago where he played at Hinsdale Central High School before transferring to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas during his senior year. Coming from a basketball family, Buzelis’ parents both played professionally in Lithuania, and his father enjoyed a career in the Lithuanian Basketball League which only added more pressure for him to make it big like they did