There’s always that one name that comes out of nowhere in preseason — the player who makes everyone stop scrolling and start watching. This year, that name is Matas Buzelis.
Just a few months ago, he was the quiet rookie — the “potential guy,” the one coaches praised for effort but rarely trusted with minutes. Now? He’s lighting up the preseason and forcing everyone, from fans to front offices, to rethink what they thought they knew.
In one explosive performance, Buzelis dropped 20 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 blocks while shooting 7-of-12 — in just 20 minutes of play. The efficiency, the poise, the confidence — it all screamed ready.
And perhaps the most telling reaction came from someone who’s seen it all — fellow Lithuanian and NBA veteran Jonas Valančiūnas.
“If he keeps working like this, he’s going to be one of the greats,” Valančiūnas said after the game.
Coming from a player who’s carried Lithuania’s flag in the NBA for over a decade, that’s not a throwaway line — it’s a passing of the torch.
What’s happening right now with Buzelis feels different. There’s no hype machine behind it, no viral moment — just a steady climb, built on sweat and skill. Every game, he looks smoother, sharper, more composed. His preseason averages — 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks — aren’t just numbers. They’re proof that he’s adjusting faster than anyone expected.
Watch him play and it’s obvious: Buzelis doesn’t force the game. He reads it. He glides into spots, shoots with confidence, and defends with length and timing that make coaches grin. There’s a calmness to his game — the kind that makes you forget he’s only 19.
It wasn’t long ago that Buzelis was buried in rotations, fighting for floor time. Now, he’s fighting for something bigger — a spot in the league’s future conversation.
Insiders say his work ethic has been relentless. Early mornings, late nights, quiet gym sessions. Coaches noticed. Teammates did too. The swagger that was once hesitant is now earned — you can see it in the way he carries himself, the way he celebrates a block or a made three without overdoing it.
“He’s humble, but don’t get it twisted,” one assistant coach said. “He knows he belongs.”
And that’s what makes this rise so compelling — it’s not a fluke. It’s the start of something.
For Lithuania, a country that’s long produced some of the world’s toughest, smartest basketball players, Buzelis feels like the next evolution — a modern hybrid of skill and size. And for the NBA, he’s a reminder that talent still finds its way, even when it takes the quiet route.
Of course, preseason isn’t the regular season. Every breakout comes with a warning label. But if this is a preview of what’s coming, the league might have to start preparing for another Eastern European problem.
Matas Buzelis isn’t just here to make a roster. He’s here to make noise — and judging by the way he’s playing, that noise is about to get a whole lot louder.
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