It’s easy to tell when the future star stepped into the United position.
Before Saturday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, all it takes is a quick look in the stands. Cooper Flagg T-shirts have exploded onto the scene. A slew of blue-and-black-clad fans hung over the fence as Mavs players passed to get to their locker room, dangling trading cards, hats and T-shirts in hopes of getting a coveted autograph from the rookie.
Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, is a front-runner for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, widening the margin between him and fellow newcomers like Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe with each passing week. At just 19 years old, Flagg is the type of star who draws crowds wherever he goes, turning hometown arenas into hidden fans with his breakout plays.
But in a 125-107 rout of the Mavericks on Saturday night, Chicago Bulls forward Matas Bozlis wanted to show the Bulls have a young star of their own.
Players tend to shy away from acknowledging the hype surrounding competitors from their own (or neighboring) draft class. Buzelis, 21, is no different. He brushed off questions about his debut against Flagg, praising the rookie for his talent after spending most of the night going up against his fellow striker.
“He struggled a little bit tonight but he’s a great player,” Buzelis said. “He will bounce back and I’m glad we got the win.”
But even if he doesn’t say it to the media, it’s clear that Buzelis wants moments like this. He longs for the opportunity to step back from the novels and write himself into the screenplay. Flagg is certainly the future face of the league. But Buzelis feels he can fill the same role as well.
Slowing down Flagg is tough. Bozlis learned that in real time in the second quarter when he rushed back to cover the forward, who shook the ball once before driving down the hill straight into his chest. Buzelis hit the ball with both arms and put his shoulder to his face in the process, but it was Flagg who blew the whistle when he fired a fingertip shot to the basket.
However, outside of some sharp plays, Flagg struggled against the Bulls. He finished with just 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting, missed his only shot from behind the arc and turned the ball over five times.
It wasn’t an ideal game for Buzelis, the No. 11 pick in 2024. He scored the third-most points on the Bulls’ roster (15) and struggled mightily from behind the arc, missing six of his seven attempts from 3-point range. But Buglis still had chances to shine, as he ripped the ball around his head before curling it in from the edge of the goal at full speed to score a highlight-reel goal in the fourth quarter.
This is only the first fight in a match that will last for years. But on Saturday, Buzelis asserted himself against the best in the 2025 draft class, reminding fans at the United Center of his potential for future stardom.
If this young pair gets their way, this pattern will continue. For Buzelis, learning how to outshine his young fellow stars is a crucial step in his early development.
“I try to learn their tendencies, what they do on the court and try to stop what they’re really good at,” Buzelis said. “Sometimes it is difficult but I am ready to take on the challenge.”
Here are three takeaways from the win that snapped the Bulls’ three-game losing streak.
1. Coby White has found his groove
The Bulls were waiting for Coby White to regain his rhythm. On Saturday, he found the first few strikes.
White scored a team-high 22 points in one of the most balanced games of his season as he continues to recover from a calf strain. He wasn’t deterred by physical contact around the rim, bouncing off defenders to open up enough space to hit shots with his raised hand. Long-distance shooting was still a work in progress for White — who went 2-for-7 on 3s — but he missed just one shot inside the arc.
Ultimately, the Bulls didn’t need to rely on one player to advance their scoring. Seven players finished with at least 13 points. Ayo Dosunmu went 3-for-4 from deep and set the tone in transition to score 20 points. But White’s return to form was a welcome sign of normalcy for a Bulls team, which has struggled at times to create offense without its star guard serving as an engine.
2. Return to adulthood
The Bulls received a big boost from center Jalen Smith, who returns after missing last week with a concussion. During Smith’s absence, the Bulls were forced to play smaller rotations while veteran Nikola Vucevic was asked to play more than 35 minutes per game.
The Bulls still couldn’t make two big drives — which depended on the presence of the injured Zach Collins — but Smith provided the necessary push around the rim, recording two blocked shots and nine rebounds. His return allowed Vučević to play less than 30 minutes (29:55) in a welcome break.
3. Unconfirmed infection update
Even though Smith returned from his concussion in Saturday’s win, the Bulls are still on shaky ground with injuries to two key players: guard Josh Guede and center Collins.
Gedi has resumed some off-ball activities such as sprints and stops, but coach Billy Donovan said the guard has not been cleared for a full slate of cuts, runs and runs. This means he has not yet been reintegrated into training in the nearly two weeks since suffering a hamstring strain.
Meanwhile, Collins has made no significant progress in his recovery from a sprained big toe on his right foot. The sprain was severe enough that Collins is still restricted to his shoes and feels uncomfortable when walking. Donovan said the injury is similar to a toe injury, which can sideline football players for months.
Collins received several expert opinions based on the imaging of his foot. He will meet with the doctor in person for the first time on Wednesday, at which point the Bulls hope to develop a concrete plan and timeline for recovery.
Donovan noted that Collins will likely need a longer ramp-up period after he is medically cleared due to muscle stasis caused by the use of a walking boot.