NCAA March Madness inspires 'FOMO' for Bulls forward Matas Buzelis
Bulls forward Matas Buzelis said he always gets a bit of FOMO this time of year with March Madness in full swing.
“Maybe in another life,” the 21-year-old Chicago-area native said of playing college basketball. “Hopefully some of the teams that I wanted to go to are contending to win.”
Buzelis never got a taste of the madness, instead opting for an non-traditional route to the pros. After high school, he went straight to G League Ignite, a developmental team that allowed elite draft prospects to compete against professional competition. Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga and Buzelis’ fellow Bulls forward Leonard Miller are two other notable alums who came out of Ignite before the NBA shut the team down in 2024 after four years.
The experience worked for Buzelis, who’s now one of the rising players from the 2024 draft class — and whose improvement has been one of the few bright spots for the Bulls this season. He has nearly doubled his scoring average from his rookie year, to 16.1 points per game entering Monday. Just as important, his impact as a rim protector has reached a new level. His 105 blocks entering Monday ranked sixth in the NBA.
“The most impressive players to me are the guys that can play both sides [of the ball] at an elite level,” Buzelis said at shootaround Monday. “That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m taking strides, but I have a lot to learn.”
With his size and knack for shot creation and rim protection, Buzelis has the tools of a perennial All-Star. The Bulls’ future may hinge on him eventually taking that leap.
In the meantime, with their season grinding toward an unceremonious close, Buzelis is enjoying college hoops from afar. He said he has a gut feeling about top overall seed Arizona, one of the many schools that offered him a scholarship. He also likes No. 5 seed St. John’s, coached by Rick Pitino.
“I’m always a fan of the coaches,” Buzelis said. “I know a lot of players, too, so it’s cool to watch them compete for something that matters a lot.”
Donovan’s double still unmatched
Coach Billy Donovan’s former team, No. 1 seed Florida, fell to No. 9 Iowa in a stunner Sunday night. The defending national champion Gators were seeking another set of back-to-back titles after Donovan led them to championships in 2006 and 2007.
A late-game coaching decision proved costly. Up by two points with under 10 seconds to go, Florida attempted to foul to stop a three-point attempt. Iowa broke the pressure and hit a wide-open, go-ahead three.
Injury road
It’s still unclear whether Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey will play during the Bulls’ upcoming four-game road trip to Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, Memphis and San Antonio. Both guards were added at the trade deadline but haven’t played much because of injuries, although they returned to practice Monday.
Simons is still dealing with a sore wrist, but the Bulls’ medical staff hopes he’ll be ready to return to action during the trip.
Donovan said Ivey looked better physically but banged his injured knee in practice and had to sit out. He was slated to see a doctor Monday night to determine next steps and might not travel with the team.