Ahead of the 2025-26 season, ESPN ranked the 10 most interesting sophomores to watch. Instead of ranking each youngster’s rookie campaign, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo ordered these players based on how intriguing their situation is heading into training camp. Whether said player starred for their respective team a season ago is irrelevant.
Woo’s rankings went as follows: 10. Nikola Topic, 9. Jared McCain, 8. Jaylen Wells, 7. Kel’el Ware, 6. Alex Sarr, 5. Donovan Clingan, 4. Matas Buzelis, 3. Zaccharie Risacher, 2. Stephon Castle, and 1. Reed Sheppard.
The NBA expert’s reasoning rings true, considering he has Sheppard ranked first. Despite being drafted third, Sheppard was unable to crack the Houston Rockets’ deep rotation. The Kentucky product totaled 654 minutes, appearing in only 52 games this past season. All in all, Sheppard averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. However, next season, he’s due for an increased role after the Rockets thinned out their backcourt in the trade for Kevin Durant.
Second on the list is Castle, who, unlike Sheppard, played 2,162 minutes and appeared in 81 games. The UConn product won Rookie of the Year after averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.
Matas Buzelis is the Bulls’ best shot at turning the proverbial corner
Between the two spectrums falls Buzelis, who appeared in 80 games but totaled only 1,511 minutes as a part-time starter. The former 11th overall pick didn’t see much action to begin the season before assuming a starting role in February. As a starter, in 31 games, the 6-foot-10 wing averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest. Thus, the Buzelis hype train is full steam ahead.
The hype is so intense that the 20-year-old forward is already being hailed as the Bulls’ most important player. Woo wrote, “With the Bulls perennially in play-in limbo, their best path forward likely involves a prospective Buzelis star turn.”
Although Woo didn’t outwardly state that Buzelis is more of a foundational piece than Coby White or even Josh Giddey, he certainly alluded to it, and rightfully so. A long and lanky wing with ball-handling chops and a sweet-shooting stroke, Buzelis is bound to evolve into an All-Star. Perhaps most important, the Chicago native’s drive is through the roof; he’s already the most intense player on the Bulls’ roster.
Still, as anticipated, Woo throws caution to the wind when discussing Buzelis’ potential. The pundit stated, “While [a star leap] may not happen in one summer, the Bulls’ commitment to playing up-tempo should favor Buzelis.” Woo’s assertion is unequivocally true. Billy Donovan’s space-and-pace offense is tailor-made for the 20-year-old’s game.
Buzelis may not have stuffed the stat sheet like Castle in his rookie season, but he’s well on his way to making his mark in the league, which will ultimately coincide with the Bulls’ future endeavors.
