As things unfold, one thing is becoming clear about the Chicago Bulls. This is fast becoming Matas Buzelis’ team. DeRozan, LaVine, and Ball are already gone. Most expect Nikola Vucevic to join them at some point. Even outside experts can see the future of this team centers around Buzelis, who had a strong rookie season last year. The signs are growing that the young forward recognizes this reality. He arrived to offseason workouts significantly bulked up. Beyond that, his maturity also stands out.
Nowhere more so than his leadership.
Bulls rookie Noa Essengue struggled in his Summer League debut, managing just five points with seven turnovers. Some people were nervous about it, including the 12th overall pick himself. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times revealed Buzelis gave him some great advice.
‘‘You’ve got to have a short memory,’’ Buzelis said he told Essengue during their discussion. ‘‘He’s a great defender. He’s got great defensive instincts. Offensively, he’ll be fine. You can see other guys. [Spurs star Victor] Wembanyama, it was tough for him in the first game. I didn’t play well [last year], either. He’ll be fine. I don’t think anyone should be stressing about it.’’
The rookie took those words to heart. In the next matchup against Sacramento, Essengue had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 19 minutes of work. He also stood out as a defender.
Matas Buzelis understands the pro transition is a process.
He had his own struggles as a rookie. His first 15 games were rough, as he went 13-of-42 from the field. Still, that was no reason to panic. Matas Buzelis kept working and kept playing. He used each game to learn about how different the NBA is. Within a few months, he was playing with much more efficiency and confidence. That undoubtedly carried into the offseason, where he has trained his body to handle the physical rigors of the league. Essengue will follow the same path. The only thing that will stop him from achieving his potential is if he loses patience and tries cutting corners. By all accounts, the French-native is too smart and mature for that. His progress in the last game proves it.
