When Matas Buzelis rose into that pull-up three, it didn’t look like the version of him most fans had cataloged earlier this season.
This wasn’t hesitation.
This wasn’t experimentation.
This was confidence.
For a split second, the United Center held its breath—then erupted. Not because the shot fell (it did), but because of what it represented. A shift. A signal. Proof that Buzelis is no longer just surviving NBA minutes—he’s beginning to define them.
The early chapters of his Chicago tenure were uneven. Questions followed him nightly. Was he too raw? Too perimeter-oriented? Still figuring out where he fit in an NBA offense that doesn’t wait around for development to catch up?
Those questions weren’t unfair. But they’re starting to feel outdated.
What’s happening now is subtler—and far more important. Buzelis is rewriting his role in real time, blending his length and fluidity with smarter reads, quicker decisions, and a growing sense of when to assert himself. The tools were always there. The timing is catching up.
Chicago has noticed.
Instead of being parked as a passive spacer or asked to do too much off the dribble, Buzelis has found a rhythm in between. He’s attacking mismatches, cutting with purpose, and—most notably—shooting with decisiveness. That pull-up three wasn’t about range. It was about permission. Permission he’s now giving himself to punish defenses when they hesitate.
And defenses are hesitating more than they used to.
Opponents can’t quite pin him down. Too quick for bigger forwards. Too tall for wings who want to crowd him. When he puts the ball on the floor, it’s no longer just a straight-line experiment—it’s a calculated move. One dribble. Two dribbles. A read. A finish or a kick-out.
That’s growth.
On the other end, his impact is becoming harder to ignore. Buzelis uses his length instinctively now, disrupting passing lanes, contesting without fouling, and switching across positions without panic. He’s not a lockdown defender yet—but he’s no longer a target. And in the NBA, that’s often the line between playing time and watching it.
Which brings us to Charlotte.
The Hornets present a fascinating next test. They’re young, athletic, and aggressive—but they’ve struggled against versatile wings who can stretch the floor and make quick decisions. Their switching defense invites exactly the kind of reads Buzelis is learning to exploit.
This matchup isn’t about numbers. It’s about pressure.
Can Buzelis punish closeouts?
Can he stay assertive when the game speeds up?
Can he make Charlotte pay for treating him like a developmental piece instead of a threat?
These are the moments that change perception.
Around the league, scouts and coaches are constantly updating their internal files. Players don’t announce when they’ve turned a corner—you see it in how opponents guard them. In tighter closeouts. In earlier help. In scouting reports that suddenly include bolded text.
Buzelis is inching toward that territory.
What makes this evolution compelling is that it’s happening without spectacle. No viral quotes. No dramatic reinvention. Just a young player stacking possessions that look more intentional than the ones before.
That’s how roles are earned in the NBA.
If he continues on this path—shooting without hesitation, defending with discipline, and embracing the in-between spaces of the game—Buzelis won’t just be a project with upside. He’ll be a problem teams have to game-plan for.
And the Hornets may be next to find that out firsthand.
Because sometimes, a single shot doesn’t just swing a game.
It changes how a player is seen.
And for Matas Buzelis, that shift is already underway.
Leave a Reply