In the buzzing corridors of the NBA, rookie Matas Buzelis has slipped into the limelight with the grace of a seasoned ballet dancer—and collectors are waltzing his way. Standing tall at 6’10”, Buzelis, who plays for the Chicago Bulls, has shaken off the rookie rust with panache, culminating in a flamboyant career-high of 31 points during a resounding victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last Saturday. The highlight wasn’t just the points he stacked on the board; it was the pizzazz with which he did it. A move as audacious as it was smooth saw him blitz past the formidable Luka Doncic to hammer home a one-handed dunk that elated the crowd and carved his initials into NBA folklore.
Originally the 11th returnee of last year’s NBA Draft, Buzelis arrived under the shadow of curiosity and doubt. Questions about his capacity to adapt to the ferocity of the big leagues surfaced even as he revealed flashes of elite brilliance. These questions, however, are evaporating with each passionate display on the court. Post All-Star break, his usage has surged, averaging 25.8 minutes per game, alongside a commendable 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and nearly a full block per game. The Bulls, shedding their reliance on veterans like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, have blossomed into an energetic force, with Buzelis reaping ample returns from their more dynamic tempo.
Collectors, renowned for their hawk-like anticipation, have wasted no time in swooping in. Within a mere 25 days of March, the Card Ladder chronicled a staggering 2,731 Buzelis card transactions, including 18 sales exceeding $1,000—a scenario unheard of prior to Panini’s much-coveted 2024-25 Prizm NBA release. The mythical allure of rookie cards burgeoned dramatically when Prizm NBA’s magic touched down. His cards soared past the $2,000 skyline, with both the 2024-25 Panini Prizm Green Shimmer Rookie /5 and the Prizm Snakeskin Auto /15 nodding majestically to $2,150 and $2,194.69 respectively.
Inching alongside the top brass of his draft class, Buzelis has asserted himself in conversations once limited to the likes of top-pick Zacharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr, and Rookie of the Year hopeful Stephon Castle. In March alone, Buzelis trumped Castle’s 16 four-figure card sales with a proud roster of eighteen and counting. What arrests interest here is that this crescendo arises in a season he began devoid of excessive spotlight.
As the Bulls bid adieu to the illustrious DeRozan-LaVine epoch, they welcome a new band of cagers to center stage. With Coby White’s prodigious speed and Josh Giddey’s wizard-like court perception propelling the Bulls into future seasons, Buzelis has unearthed a more substantial role. Now the team’s unrivaled leader in air-defying dunks, Buzelis is stepping with greater assurance every game. For a rookie class forestalled by less fanfare, Buzelis emerges as the class dark horse, armed with size, skillfulness, and agility that model his skyward potential. Should he keep his developmental compass pointed true north, the epicenter of commercial and fan enthusiasm surrounding him will undoubtedly amplify.
A raw gem, no doubt, but Buzelis stands at just 20 years, wielding the poise and determination most 10-year veterans aspire to. His performance script is compelling enough that neither fans nor collectors can afford to turn their attention elsewhere. With each swipe to the rim, each deft assist, and every leaping rejection, Buzelis isn’t merely playing a game; he’s scripting a unique narrative. It’s a tale that warms the coldest stat line, injecting charisma into numbers and evoking the kind of excitement that makes the NBA a wholly unpredictable and thrilling spectacle.
As we journey through the remainder of the season, eyes remain unblinkingly glued to Matas Buzelis, wondering what on-court sorcery he will conjure next. With collectors urgently hunting his prismatic treasures and fans eagerly documenting his every exploit, it’s no hyperbole to suggest Buzelis might just be the perfect blend of sporting excellence and market hysteria—a modern archetype of the rookie dream.
