Matas Buzelis Gives Bulls Fans Another Reason to Be Excited in International Debut

Starving Chicago Bulls fans are only about a week away from some nutriment.

Summer League will officially tip off in Las Vegas on July 9, with the Bulls playing their first game on July 10. Rookie Caleb Wilson will take the floor and officially start a new era of Chicago hoops. He will also do it against the No. 3 overall pick in Cameron Boozer.

In fact, the NBA actually set Wilson up for matchups against each of the three players who were selected ahead of him. It could make for enough exciting summer drama to carry fans through the remainder of the offseason, especially when factoring in that No. 15 pick Dailyn Swain and 2025 No. 12 pick Noa Essengue will also be part of the roster.

Nevertheless, those three are not the only Bulls taking the court early this summer. If those hungry fans want a small snack, they should turn their attention toward the FIBA World Cup qualifiers happening right now overseas.

Third-year forward Matas Buzelis is currently suiting up for his first-ever international tournament. The Lithuanian native committed to playing for the country following the end of the 2025-26 season. Jonas Valanciunas of the Nuggets and Kasparas Jakucionis are also on the roster, giving Lithuania a trio of true NBA contributors.

While this might be Buzelis' first taste of FIBA action, he is undoubtedly seen as one of their marquee players. We need to look no further than his spot in the starting lineup to see that, as well as his recent performance against Great Britain.

Matas Buzelis Helps Lead Lithuania to a Qualifying Win

Mar 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) brings the ball up court against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matas Buzelis clocked just under 23 minutes of action in his first real game for Lithuania. To be sure, the 21-year-old had appeared in some exhibition action in the lead-up to this meeting with the Brits, but the performance marked his first legitimate international outing.

Buzelis may not have led his team in scoring, but he posted an active and well-rounded performance. He scored 12 points on 5-12 shooting with a pair of offensive rebounds, an assist, and a block. The youngster did happen to tie for the team lead in fouls (three), but that's bound to happen as an overseas newbie. International hoops is known to have a more bruising play style.

To little surprise, Buzelis also broke away for a highlight two-handed jam. He's become well-known for his high-flying ways, so it only felt right that he rocked the rim in his debut.

You also have to love seeing the perimeter defense that forced the poor pass and led to the fastbreak opportunity.

MATAS BUZELIS WALKING ON AIR 🌬️#FIBAWC | #StepItUp pic.twitter.com/qmGdoV4fWw
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) July 2, 2026

Buzelis' first official basket, however, came off one of his offensive rebounds. Lithuania forgot all about him in the corner, so Buzelis crashed the glass, grabbed the ball, and quickly left his feet for the layup. It was about as easy a first basket as you can get.

FIBA was quick to share the full highlights on YouTube. Buzelis' raw athleticism really jumps off the screen. He was flying down the court in transition and had some really great finishes over the top of defenders. The ball may not have been in his hands to initiate offense a ton, but he still found a way to make a consistent impact.

Buzelis will now move on to Sunday's matchup against Italy on their home turf. The two appear to be pretty evenly matched on paper, so it will present him with another good opportunity to make a strong early impression.

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