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In an exclusive sit-down with HoopsHype on behalf of Panini Prizm at 2026 All-Star Weekend, Bulls second-year forward Matas Buzelis talked about the veteran circle shaping his mindset, what Zach LaVine's trade taught him about the business side of the NBA, and why stepping away from the gym actually helps him survive an 82-game season..
How do you handle Coach Billy Donovan's constructive criticism?
Matas Buzelis: It just makes you stronger as a person and as a player that you can handle stuff like that mentally. He's a straight shooter, so you have to respect everything he says because it's going to be the truth and it's going to be real. And that's the best thing you can get out of a coach. And now it's a little different. He uplifts me every time something happens, but he still gets on me when there are mistakes. But he's going to build confidence in me to excel as a player.
How has your relationship with Coach Donovan evolved from your first year to your second?
MB: Honestly, just building a bond together, building the trust. You're not just going to come in and the coach is going to love you right away. You have to always build a bond. And me and Billy have gotten pretty close. And I'm able to communicate whatever I have on my mind to him.
How does it feel to earn your coach's trust after taking a unique youth prospect route through the G League?
MB: I had a lot of coaches in my life, and Billy's definitely the best one I've had, just because of the resume and what he's built. He's able to have those difficult conversations with everybody in the room. And that's something that's extremely hard. You're not just going to go and figure out everything you need to have on a team and call guys out whenever you need to. It's tough. So he's a Hall of Fame coach and one of the best to ever do it.
How did having a mix of experienced veterans and young teammates help you navigate your first year?
MB: You get different viewpoints of what you want, and I got viewpoints from veterans and I got viewpoints from young guys, and you can mix it together and build a mentality and build a character in yourself and figure out who you truly are. But I never back away from what I truly am. Be who you are because it's what got you here at the point you're at right now. But it's great to try to mix stuff together like that and then shake it in a box and figure out what you can build.
How do you view yourself as a person and as a player?
MB: I view myself as a guy who has high confidence and high faith in my belief. Not just in me, but you know, my faith in God and he has a plan for me. I believe that if God destroys my plans, my plans could have destroyed me. So I have faith in myself and my work ethic and who I am as a person. And I'm bigger than a basketball player. And I realize that. But I know for a fact I want one thing out of this, and it's to win championships and build myself as one of the best players to be in the NBA. And it doesn't matter if I get there or not. It just matters that I have the belief in myself to be that.
Does that perspective completely remove the pressure of failure?
MB: But I'm always gonna put 100 percent effort in it. And if it doesn't happen, it just doesn't happen. And I don't put the pressure on myself.
Which veterans do you appreciate the most for giving you guidance?
MB: Man, we traded a lot of guys recently and those are all my brothers. But Zach LaVine, Vooch, I could go down the list. Talen Horton-Tucker, Torrey Craig, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter. Those are all guys. I don't limit myself to a couple of vets. I try to pick everyone's brain and figure out what I can make out of their mentality.
How does it feel to suddenly realize a teammate is gone after a trade?
MB: Yeah, I remember Jevon used to always tell me this. He's like, 'One day you'll be here, and one day you're just going to walk in the locker room and the guys are going to be gone'. And that's just the business like that. You're just going to have to accept it and move forward. I don't want to compare it to somebody passing away, but somebody passes away, you don't want to stop your life. You have to still continue to grow as a person. You can't shut down your life. You have to move forward. And that's the same thing with being traded. You have to move forward, and new guys come in, and you've got to build a camaraderie fast.
Which specific trade made you realize the harsh business reality of the NBA?
MB: Yeah, Zach LaVine getting traded.
How did you process the Zach LaVine trade in the days immediately after?
MB: It was tough, man. It's my first big trade being a part of, just being a rookie. So it was hard. But as I said before, it's a short memory for athletes.
What do you do in your free time to relax and take your mind off basketball?
MB: I try to hang out with my friends. I try to get my mind off basketball because I'm so focused on it every day. Try to do something new, maybe. Go out to eat. Just crack jokes, stuff like that will always help me to move forward.
Do you prefer spending your time outdoors?
MB: I love outdoors. I don't want to be inside.
What specific outdoor activities do you enjoy doing?
MB: I'm more of like a, be outside in the city, walk around, golf, stuff like that.
Do you feed off the energy of being around other people?
MB: Yeah, exactly.
How does stepping away from the game help you maintain your focus during the season?
MB: As I said, you have to have a short memory. And this is taking a while because I want to say it correctly. I'm going to go probably just relax, get my mind off the game because I'm so focused on it all the time. You build a hunger to come back and be hungry for basketball. You know, and that's what I do. I go, I try to stay out of the gym especially playing so many games and that was hard for me at first. Like I love the gym, I just want to go back every day and grind, but I had to learn that it's all about your body. So you have to take care of it.
Did you find the physical adjustment to back-to-back games and road trips difficult?
MB: Very.
When did it hit you like, "Damn, this is the NBA"?
MB: Playing 82 games. Yeah, plain and simple.
How does the grueling NBA schedule compare to playing weekend AAU tournaments as a kid?
MB: You're going hard. You play three games a week easily. And you're traveling. Every day you're traveling. You're on the plane. And you have to sacrifice. You have to go do recovery instead of going out to dinner with all the boys. You have to go ice your knees. And that's just what it is. Life in the NBA. And I chose and I signed up for all that.
Did you expect this level of physical grind before entering the league?
MB: I've been grinding since I was 12 every day. My mom and my dad built a mentality for me and this is nothing new to me.
How important was your parents' guidance in preparing you for the expectations of professional basketball?
MB: It's very important. It builds a foundation for you to strive and move forward. And my mother and my father are huge in my life. They used to drive me an hour to practice every day and stay there. My mom quit her job and fully dedicated to me and my brother to become basketball players. You know, and my family was struggling at the time with money and family members being sick, and it was tough. And that also built a little fire in me to try to provide for my family and help.
How does it feel to carry the responsibility of providing for your family through your basketball career?
MB: I always remember when my mother was crying and she didn't have any money to even drive us to practice. Sometimes you couldn't fill up the gas and that I always remember. When I step on the court, all the fear exits my body because I know this is what I love to do. And yeah, I have no stress doing it because I know my family's good and I know that I'm capable of many things.
Did the desire to provide for your family influence your decision to play professionally instead of taking a traditional college route?
MB: Nah, that had nothing to do with it. It was just something that I felt was right for me.
Who do you look up to as a role model in the basketball world?
MB: I don't want to be anybody. I wanted to be myself.
Did any specific player inspire your playing style?
MB: My father did. Of course, when I started playing I started watching guys. I don't want to be like nobody else.
How do you want the next generation of young fans to describe your legacy?
MB: I want to be known for the work I put in and how I treated people when I was at the top. And you know, now being in the NBA, I want to be known for how I treat people, and the interactions, and what I do for my city, and how much pride I play with.
What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
MB: I'm here right now. I don't really think about it. I'm here right now, so right now, I'm trying to be the best I could be in this interview. Especially with being tired and on three hours of sleep.
Following the recent trades, how do you see your role shifting toward leadership alongside players like Josh Giddey?
MB: I talked to Billy about it, how I need to be more vocal as a player and I need to speak to guys. You know, guys don't know sets, guys don't know the defense and I have to be more vocal every time I step on the court to try to help my team win. And you know, I feel like I have, I wouldn't say pressure, but I can't find the word right now, I have to talk to everybody more. I have to be communicating on defense for us and also put on an example in the gym of, you know, how I work. And that's all it takes for some guys, just to see how guys work and they can put it into their game.
What are you doing with Panini this weekend?
MB: I'm going to come here, sign some cards, hopefully the fans love them, and you know, it's going to be exciting. I always love supporting Panini, they're a great brand, they do a great job, and I'm excited to sign some cards.
Did you collect basketball cards as a kid?
MB: Yeah, I was collecting Panini, because they were always at Target. So I'd always go buy some with my brother.
Which Panini basketball card was your favorite?
MB: Honestly, probably the Derrick Rose. D Rose's card has always stuck out to me, just being from Chicago.
How did it feel to see yourself on a basketball card for the first time?
MB: It was the most surreal moment ever. Just, you know, from collecting them when I was younger, it just means everything to me being on a face of a card and you know little kids buying them. It's like it comes full circle for me. My mentality: going out and competing every night, playing as hard as possible, competing at every possession, and grinding every day, just trying to become a better version of myself.
You can follow Cyro Asseo (@CyroAsseo) on X, formerly known as Twitter, or Bluesky. Email me comments, thoughts or ideas to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Matas Buzelis Q&A: 'I don't want to be anybody. I want to be myself'
Continue reading...
How do you handle Coach Billy Donovan's constructive criticism?
Matas Buzelis: It just makes you stronger as a person and as a player that you can handle stuff like that mentally. He's a straight shooter, so you have to respect everything he says because it's going to be the truth and it's going to be real. And that's the best thing you can get out of a coach. And now it's a little different. He uplifts me every time something happens, but he still gets on me when there are mistakes. But he's going to build confidence in me to excel as a player.
How has your relationship with Coach Donovan evolved from your first year to your second?
MB: Honestly, just building a bond together, building the trust. You're not just going to come in and the coach is going to love you right away. You have to always build a bond. And me and Billy have gotten pretty close. And I'm able to communicate whatever I have on my mind to him.
You must be registered for see images attach
How does it feel to earn your coach's trust after taking a unique youth prospect route through the G League?
MB: I had a lot of coaches in my life, and Billy's definitely the best one I've had, just because of the resume and what he's built. He's able to have those difficult conversations with everybody in the room. And that's something that's extremely hard. You're not just going to go and figure out everything you need to have on a team and call guys out whenever you need to. It's tough. So he's a Hall of Fame coach and one of the best to ever do it.
How did having a mix of experienced veterans and young teammates help you navigate your first year?
MB: You get different viewpoints of what you want, and I got viewpoints from veterans and I got viewpoints from young guys, and you can mix it together and build a mentality and build a character in yourself and figure out who you truly are. But I never back away from what I truly am. Be who you are because it's what got you here at the point you're at right now. But it's great to try to mix stuff together like that and then shake it in a box and figure out what you can build.
You must be registered for see images attach
How do you view yourself as a person and as a player?
MB: I view myself as a guy who has high confidence and high faith in my belief. Not just in me, but you know, my faith in God and he has a plan for me. I believe that if God destroys my plans, my plans could have destroyed me. So I have faith in myself and my work ethic and who I am as a person. And I'm bigger than a basketball player. And I realize that. But I know for a fact I want one thing out of this, and it's to win championships and build myself as one of the best players to be in the NBA. And it doesn't matter if I get there or not. It just matters that I have the belief in myself to be that.
Does that perspective completely remove the pressure of failure?
MB: But I'm always gonna put 100 percent effort in it. And if it doesn't happen, it just doesn't happen. And I don't put the pressure on myself.
You must be registered for see images
Which veterans do you appreciate the most for giving you guidance?
MB: Man, we traded a lot of guys recently and those are all my brothers. But Zach LaVine, Vooch, I could go down the list. Talen Horton-Tucker, Torrey Craig, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter. Those are all guys. I don't limit myself to a couple of vets. I try to pick everyone's brain and figure out what I can make out of their mentality.
How does it feel to suddenly realize a teammate is gone after a trade?
MB: Yeah, I remember Jevon used to always tell me this. He's like, 'One day you'll be here, and one day you're just going to walk in the locker room and the guys are going to be gone'. And that's just the business like that. You're just going to have to accept it and move forward. I don't want to compare it to somebody passing away, but somebody passes away, you don't want to stop your life. You have to still continue to grow as a person. You can't shut down your life. You have to move forward. And that's the same thing with being traded. You have to move forward, and new guys come in, and you've got to build a camaraderie fast.
Which specific trade made you realize the harsh business reality of the NBA?
MB: Yeah, Zach LaVine getting traded.
How did you process the Zach LaVine trade in the days immediately after?
MB: It was tough, man. It's my first big trade being a part of, just being a rookie. So it was hard. But as I said before, it's a short memory for athletes.
What do you do in your free time to relax and take your mind off basketball?
MB: I try to hang out with my friends. I try to get my mind off basketball because I'm so focused on it every day. Try to do something new, maybe. Go out to eat. Just crack jokes, stuff like that will always help me to move forward.
Do you prefer spending your time outdoors?
MB: I love outdoors. I don't want to be inside.
What specific outdoor activities do you enjoy doing?
MB: I'm more of like a, be outside in the city, walk around, golf, stuff like that.
Do you feed off the energy of being around other people?
MB: Yeah, exactly.
How does stepping away from the game help you maintain your focus during the season?
MB: As I said, you have to have a short memory. And this is taking a while because I want to say it correctly. I'm going to go probably just relax, get my mind off the game because I'm so focused on it all the time. You build a hunger to come back and be hungry for basketball. You know, and that's what I do. I go, I try to stay out of the gym especially playing so many games and that was hard for me at first. Like I love the gym, I just want to go back every day and grind, but I had to learn that it's all about your body. So you have to take care of it.
Did you find the physical adjustment to back-to-back games and road trips difficult?
MB: Very.
You must be registered for see images attach
When did it hit you like, "Damn, this is the NBA"?
MB: Playing 82 games. Yeah, plain and simple.
How does the grueling NBA schedule compare to playing weekend AAU tournaments as a kid?
MB: You're going hard. You play three games a week easily. And you're traveling. Every day you're traveling. You're on the plane. And you have to sacrifice. You have to go do recovery instead of going out to dinner with all the boys. You have to go ice your knees. And that's just what it is. Life in the NBA. And I chose and I signed up for all that.
Did you expect this level of physical grind before entering the league?
MB: I've been grinding since I was 12 every day. My mom and my dad built a mentality for me and this is nothing new to me.
You must be registered for see images
How important was your parents' guidance in preparing you for the expectations of professional basketball?
MB: It's very important. It builds a foundation for you to strive and move forward. And my mother and my father are huge in my life. They used to drive me an hour to practice every day and stay there. My mom quit her job and fully dedicated to me and my brother to become basketball players. You know, and my family was struggling at the time with money and family members being sick, and it was tough. And that also built a little fire in me to try to provide for my family and help.
How does it feel to carry the responsibility of providing for your family through your basketball career?
MB: I always remember when my mother was crying and she didn't have any money to even drive us to practice. Sometimes you couldn't fill up the gas and that I always remember. When I step on the court, all the fear exits my body because I know this is what I love to do. And yeah, I have no stress doing it because I know my family's good and I know that I'm capable of many things.
Did the desire to provide for your family influence your decision to play professionally instead of taking a traditional college route?
MB: Nah, that had nothing to do with it. It was just something that I felt was right for me.
Who do you look up to as a role model in the basketball world?
MB: I don't want to be anybody. I wanted to be myself.
Did any specific player inspire your playing style?
MB: My father did. Of course, when I started playing I started watching guys. I don't want to be like nobody else.
How do you want the next generation of young fans to describe your legacy?
MB: I want to be known for the work I put in and how I treated people when I was at the top. And you know, now being in the NBA, I want to be known for how I treat people, and the interactions, and what I do for my city, and how much pride I play with.
What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
MB: I'm here right now. I don't really think about it. I'm here right now, so right now, I'm trying to be the best I could be in this interview. Especially with being tired and on three hours of sleep.
Following the recent trades, how do you see your role shifting toward leadership alongside players like Josh Giddey?
MB: I talked to Billy about it, how I need to be more vocal as a player and I need to speak to guys. You know, guys don't know sets, guys don't know the defense and I have to be more vocal every time I step on the court to try to help my team win. And you know, I feel like I have, I wouldn't say pressure, but I can't find the word right now, I have to talk to everybody more. I have to be communicating on defense for us and also put on an example in the gym of, you know, how I work. And that's all it takes for some guys, just to see how guys work and they can put it into their game.
What are you doing with Panini this weekend?
MB: I'm going to come here, sign some cards, hopefully the fans love them, and you know, it's going to be exciting. I always love supporting Panini, they're a great brand, they do a great job, and I'm excited to sign some cards.
Did you collect basketball cards as a kid?
MB: Yeah, I was collecting Panini, because they were always at Target. So I'd always go buy some with my brother.
Which Panini basketball card was your favorite?
MB: Honestly, probably the Derrick Rose. D Rose's card has always stuck out to me, just being from Chicago.
How did it feel to see yourself on a basketball card for the first time?
MB: It was the most surreal moment ever. Just, you know, from collecting them when I was younger, it just means everything to me being on a face of a card and you know little kids buying them. It's like it comes full circle for me. My mentality: going out and competing every night, playing as hard as possible, competing at every possession, and grinding every day, just trying to become a better version of myself.
You can follow Cyro Asseo (@CyroAsseo) on X, formerly known as Twitter, or Bluesky. Email me comments, thoughts or ideas to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Matas Buzelis Q&A: 'I don't want to be anybody. I want to be myself'
Continue reading...
