Matas Buzelis didn’t reach for the usual superstar name when he talked about who he wants to study next. The Bulls forward pointed to Deni Avdija, and that choice says plenty about what Buzelis is trying to become in Year 3.
Buzelis joined Lonzo Ball on the Ball in the Family podcast and laid out the players he wants to learn from as he heads into the next stage of his career. He said, “To be honest, who I really want to work with is Deni Avdija," Buzelis said.
"I’ve been talking to him. I feel like I was shooting too many threes.
I need to get to the rim more. I want to know how he lowers his shoulder, how he attacks.
I’ve seen him in Vegas. We’re supposed to work out this weekend.
We’ll see. But he’s somebody.
Franz Wagner probably. KD, of course.
That’s who everybody needs to work out with.”
That answer may have surprised some Bulls fans. Avdija isn’t the kind of name that usually jumps out in these conversations, and he’s not the marquee star many young players would normally chase. But the fit makes sense once you look at what Avdija just did.
The Portland Trail Blazers forward is coming off his first All-Star season and has grown into one of the league’s most physical downhill scorers. He averaged 24.2 points on 46.2 percent shooting, and he got to the free throw line 9.2 times per game, which ranked third in the NBA. Buzelis, by comparison, averaged 3.2 free throw attempts last season.
That gap helps explain why Buzelis is drawn to Avdija’s game. Buzelis said he thought he settled for too many threes in 2025-26, and he also made it clear that getting stronger is a major offseason priority.
At 6-foot-10, he has the length and burst to punish defenses, but Year 2 showed how much bigger bodies could bother him in the post and when he was playing at the four. That affected his halfcourt game and showed up on the glass, too.
Buzelis is already on an upward climb. The No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft followed his rookie season with a second year that saw him nearly double his numbers across the board. In 77 games, he put up 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks.
The tools are obvious. He can finish above the rim, create off the dribble, and knock down catch-and-shoot threes.
Defensively, he brings real value with his shot-blocking instincts and the mobility to switch onto guards. The next step is turning that skill set into a more forceful, more efficient attack.
That’s where Avdija comes in. He’s learned how to play through contact and use his strength to his advantage, and that physical edge has become a big part of his scoring package.
Buzelis already has more length and more explosive athleticism. If he can borrow some of Avdija’s downhill force and foul-drawing habits without losing the finesse that makes him dangerous, the ceiling gets a lot more interesting.
There’s another layer here, too. Tiago Splitter coached Avdija just one season ago, and now he’s the Bulls’ new head coach. Avdija had the best season of his career under Splitter, so Buzelis’ interest in him lines up neatly with the direction Chicago’s new coach has already shown he values.
Sure, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Luka Doncic would have made for a louder answer. But Buzelis didn’t go for the flashiest name.
He zeroed in on the details, the kind that can actually change his game. That’s the part Bulls fans should probably like most.
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