Matas Buzelis, the intriguing 6’10” forward for the Chicago Bulls, has found himself in a whirlwind of attention lately. This rookie, originally the 11th pick in the NBA Draft, has begun to put all doubters to shame with an impressive breakout game last Saturday, leaving spectators and collectors in awe. Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Buzelis served up a career-high of 31 points, leaving a lasting impression on both the scoreboard and the highlight reel.
What truly caught the eye was not simply the number of points but the manner in which he amassed them. During the game, Buzelis showcased an explosive style of play that included a jaw-dropping moment where he effortlessly coasted past NBA superstar Luka Doncic. He then executed a one-handed dunk with such flair it set the entire arena abuzz. Do we smell a future superstar?
Having entered the league with as many questions as aspirations, Matas Buzelis is now beginning to address them on the court. Since the All-Star break, he’s boasted considerable playing time, at 25.8 minutes per game, with commendable averages: 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and just shy of one block per 48 minutes. The Bulls, seeking to reshape their roster and fortify their style of attack, have found in Buzelis a formidable asset.
This budding talent, however, hasn’t just dazzled basketball pundits and fans—his rise in stature has radically transformed the trading card market. Collectors are shifting their gaze towards Buzelis, with Card Ladder tracking a rapid 2,731 sales of his cards in March alone. That’s not all—18 individual sales have soared beyond the $1,000 mark since Panini released its 2024-25 Prizm NBA cards, a previously unheard-of phenomenon.
In comparison to January, when his most significant pre-Prizm sale involved a 2024 Prizm Draft Picks Black Prizm Auto 1/1 for $700, Buzelis’ card market is everything but static. Post Prizm NBA release, two of his cards have skyrocketed well past the $2,000 summit: the 2024-25 Panini Prizm Green Shimmer Rookie /5 card fetched $2,150, while the Panini Prizm Snakeskin Auto /15 card commanded a striking $2,194.69.
Buzelis’ dazzling rise has comfortably nestled him among the top rookies of his class. March has certainly proved to be eventful: Zacharie Risacher, the draft’s top selection, boasts five card sales in the four-figure range; Alexandre Sarr has clocked in with one such sale, while Stephon Castle, a serious Rookie of the Year contender, has remarkably had 16. Yet, with 18 and counting, Buzelis stands tall.
This is a serendipitous turn of events, for Buzelis didn’t leap into the season with hefty acclaim. Rather, it is his performance that has commandeered the conversation. He didn’t court the spotlight; instead, the magnificence of his performances ensnared it—drawing the desiring eyes of NBA enthusiasts and card collectors alike.
The Chicago Bulls, under the shifting dynamics of their roster, are evolving into a fresh iteration. Moving past the storied DeRozan-LaVine era, the Bulls’ new lineage is charting a course with players like Coby White and Josh Giddey setting a fiery pace on the floor. Buzelis has found an ideal fit within this unit and has continued to expand his role. He currently leads the team in spectacular dunks and looks increasingly self-assured as the games roll by.
For a rookie who entered the NBA without a great deal of media fanfare, Matas Buzelis might just end up being the jewel his draft class didn’t realize it had. Possessing a rare blend of size, skill, and versatility, Buzelis appears to have a stratospherically high ceiling. Observe closely, and it’s plain as day why his cards are heating up faster than a Chicago summer.
At 20, Buzelis is raw and unpolished but imbued with a wisdom on the court that belies his age. His mix of grace and guts has quickly become indispensable to fans and collectors undo the constraints of the status quo instead.
Whether it be his explosive drives, his sky-high dunks, or simply his continued growth, Matas Buzelis is attracting attention in all the right ways, a human magnet drawing the rubberneckers of basketball brilliance and the astute observers of trading card value alike. As his star continues to rise, one thing seems evident—the world of Matas Buzelis is open-ended, filled with possibilities, and far from reaching its zenith. Don’t blink, you might miss the rise!
