One day after sending a 20-point-scoring All-Star and franchise cornerstone to the Wild West, the Chicago Bulls left February 4, 2025’s night with quite the gift: a historic performance from a rookie capable of someday boasting a similar résumé. Already on the precipice of something special with double-digit scoring outputs in the three games prior, Matas Buzelis turned a pre-All-Star Weekend battle against the Miami Heat into something of a nationwide arrival. From turning length-of-the-court lob passes into alley-oop finishes and leaving fellow International up-and-comers in need of maps with crafty gathers and underhand scoops, 2024’s No. 11 pick compiled the type of game that, given his confidence, felt only inevitable. 6-foot-10, and polished enough in his repertoire to punish opponents from inside and out, Chicago’s rookie — similar to his box score — made himself a can’t-miss spectacle during the underdog victory. Buzelis’ statsheet, which included 24 points (on 10-of-10 shooting) and a two-rebound, two-block, four-triple complement, left him uniquely positioned to become NBA history’s youngest-ever player to record a 20-point performance on zero missed shots. · Feb 5, 2025