In an era dominated by superstar highlight reels and viral social media clips, it’s not every day that a rookie manages to slice through the noise with a performance so captivating that collectors scramble, and analysts pivot their gaze. Yet, Matas Buzelis, a 6’10” phenomenon, is rapidly rewriting that script. Last Saturday’s game against the famed Lakers was nothing short of a debutante ball for Buzelis, who posted a career-high 31 points, capturing both the audience’s awe and the competitive spirit of his team.
His performance was a fireworks display wrapped in a court of dreams, accented by a signature moment where Buzelis blitzed past none other than Luka Dončić for a gravity-defying, one-handed dunk. This was more than just two points; it was an emphatic announcement to the league: a new star was on the rise. Drafted 11th overall, Buzelis arrived in the NBA touted for his potential but peppered with questions about readiness. Now, as the dust of the first phase of the season settles, his craft on the hardwood is silencing skeptics with an exuberant “I told you so.”
Since the All-Star break, Buzelis has seen a significant uptick in game time, averaging 25.8 minutes per game. His stat line reads like the wish list of franchise dreamers: 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and nearly a block a game. These aren’t just numbers. They’re indicators of a burgeoning presence that is central to the Bulls’ evolving attacking style—a style that owes much to Buzelis’s height, fluidity, and unexpected grace.
As Matas dribbles, drives, and dunks his way into the hearts of Chicago Bulls fans, a parallel story unfolds in the world of sports collectibles. The hobby market, ever astute, has rapidly adjusted its lenses and wallets towards Buzelis. March started with a flurry—between collectors clicking, trading, and eagerly displaying Matas Buzelis’s rookie cards as blue-chip assets. Card Ladder, an indispensable tool for tracking sales within this niche market, reported 2,731 Buzelis card sales within the first 25 days of March alone; among these, 18 sales soared beyond the $1,000 mark, a price point previously uncharted for Buzelis before the debut of Panini’s 2024-25 Prizm NBA release.
His cards have further outpaced initial expectations in value, none more so than the 2024-25 Panini Prizm Green Shimmer Rookie, numbered to just five and sold for an enviable $2,150, and the limited edition Snakeskin Auto /15 fetched for $2,194.69. Such figures not only reinforce his escalating value on the court but reflect a burgeoning fanbase eager to get in on the ground floor of what promises to be an exhilarating career.
Comparatively, within his draft class, Buzelis now stands shoulder to shoulder with marquee names. His rapid ascent in March alone sees him in the same conversations as top pick Zacharie Risacher, seasoned with five four-figure card sales, and Stephon Castle, whose stature as a Rookie of the Year hopeful has translated into 16 notable sales. Eighteen notable Buzelis card sales in March were anything but ordinary, suggesting that his star is on an upward trajectory and resonating in a uniquely magnetic way.
The Chicago Bulls, amidst a transitional period, shifting gradually away from the DeRozan-LaVine nexus, have been carving a refreshing new identity. Aided by the pace and intelligence of Coby White and Josh Giddey, they’re laying the foundations for a fast-paced, thrilling style of basketball—one where Matas Buzelis’s skills, underscored by his leading dunk tally, have begun to shine. Through this transformation, Buzelis has emerged as an integral part of this new regime.
For a rookie class that didn’t initially command much enthusiasm, Buzelis has been a revelation, an exquisite blend of size and skill that hints ominously at one of the draft’s highest ceilings. As he embarks on a journey of development—at just the tender age of 20—his distinct brand of play unfurls a graceful yet powerful statement that the league, and indeed the collecting world, must sit up and pay hearty attention to.
His rawness is undeniable, but so is his poise. Upcoming performances are tethered precariously on a line – caught somewhere between potential and promise, and excellence realized. The ongoing saga of Matas Buzelis’s rookie year is much more than a series of games and baskets—it’s a narrative woven with drama, gold-glinting card backs, and Chicago’s roaring approval, setting the stage for limitless horizons.