The name Matas Buzelis may not have been on everyone’s lips when he was picked 11th overall in last year’s NBA Draft, but it’s safe to say you’ll be hearing it much more from now on. Like a mustard seed quietly germinating beneath the soil, Buzelis is sprouting into one of the league’s most intriguing stories. When the 6’10” rookie dropped a career-high 31 points in a lopsided victory over the Lakers, the earth didn’t just shake in Los Angeles—it reverberated through the NBA.
It wasn’t merely the numbers that demanded the spotlight; it was the spectacle of his performance. Sleek and elusive, Buzelis turned defenders into spectators. With Luka Doncic in his sights, he orchestrated a jaw-dropping one-handed dunk that left audiences gasping. It was more than just a highlight reel—it was a statement.
Though questions shadowed Buzelis when he first arrived in the league, hints of a prodigious talent were always evident. Since the All-Star break, he’s begun to quell doubters, his playing time swelling to 25.8 minutes per game. It’s no coincidence that his stats have bounded upward, now averaging 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, deftly threading 1.8 assists, and swatting nearly a block per game. Against the backdrop of Chicago’s increasingly aggressive tempo, Buzelis blossoms, a prime beneficiary of the system’s new rhythm.
As if scripted by a Hollywood screenwriter’s pen to captivate audiences of fans and fantasy alike, his rise is now stirring a storm in the collector’s market. March was a brisk month in the hobby market as Card Ladder reports track an astounding 2,731 sales of Buzelis cards within just 25 days—a veritable wizard of Wall Street performance for a rookie card venture.
Gone are the days of humdrum transactions, swept away by the glinting allure of high-stakes purchases. Prior to Panini’s 2024-25 Prizm NBA drop, January records show his 2024 Prizm Draft Picks Black Prizm Auto 1/1 was a solid $700. Yet in the weathers of post-Prizm release, two cards zipped past the $2,000 mark, becoming mythical treasures among collectors:
– 2024-25 Panini Prizm Green Shimmer Rookie /5 – Sold for $2,150
– 2024-25 Panini Prizm Snakeskin Auto /15 – Sold for $2,194.69
In the ranks of rookies, to be but a whisper behind the likes of Zacharie Risacher or Stephon Castle is noteworthy enough, but Buzelis is causing ripples with 18 of his card sales reaching four figures, surpassing many of his class peers. Not bad for a player who started without the mystique that surrounds a top draft pick.
Meanwhile, in the Windy City, the basketball winds shift away from the twilight of the DeRozan-LaVine era toward a new dawn. Buzelis, with his towering yet fluid presence, is at the heart of this transformation, skillfully dancing in sync with Coby White’s rapid-fire pace and Josh Giddey’s perceptive passes. Leading the team in dunks, his assurance and agility grow immeasurably with every game, painting a promising picture for the franchise.
In what could have been an unremarkable rookie class, Buzelis seems poised to defy expectations. His size and skill are rare even among giants, while his fluidity offers tantalizing hints of what might lie ahead. Should his development continue on its current arc, the buzz surrounding his basketball—and his burgeoning card market—will only intensify.
Though his career is still in its infancy, at just 20 years of age, Buzelis exudes rare poise and polish. Game by game, he’s crafting performances that neither fans nor collectors can easily forget. It’s these bouts of brilliance that suggest the world may soon see Matas Buzelis less as a surprise and more as a destined star, rising steadily toward the cusp of fame—and potentially, fortune.
