Chicago Bulls ahead Matas Buzelis is seeking to broaden his offensive sport this offseason, and he already is aware of which NBA participant he desires to study from. Quite than specializing in taking pictures, the 21-year-old stated he desires to review Portland Path Blazers All-Star Deni Avdija’s potential to assault the basket.
Talking about his offseason plans, Buzelis revealed that he has been in touch with Avdija and expects the 2 to work out collectively.
“To be trustworthy, who I actually need to work with is Deni Avdija. I’ve been speaking with him,” Buzelis stated on Ball within the Household Podcast with Lonzo & Gelo Ball, through HoopsHype. “It’s simply, I really feel like I used to be taking pictures too many threes. I have to get to the rim extra. I need to know like how he lowers his shoulder, how he assaults. I seen him in Vegas. We’re imagined to work out this weekend. He’s any individual, Franz Wagner, in all probability him, KD, in fact. That’s who everyone must work out with, however I feel proper now Deni Avdija.”
The feedback mirror an space Buzelis desires to emphasise after making a major leap in his second NBA season. The previous first-round decide averaged 16.3 factors, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks in 77 begins for the Bulls in 2025-26 whereas taking pictures 46.3% from the sector and 34.9% from three-point vary. Almost half of his 12.5 field-goal makes an attempt per sport got here from past the arc, as he averaged 6.4 three-point makes an attempt.
Buzelis believes including extra downhill strain would make him a extra full scorer, and Avdija’s transformation into one of many league’s most bodily wings presents a blueprint.
After starting his profession primarily as a complementary ahead in Washington, Avdija has steadily developed right into a major offensive choice. Following his transfer to Portland, his manufacturing elevated in every season earlier than reaching All-Star standing in 2025-26.
Final season, Avdija averaged a career-high 24.2 factors, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 66 video games whereas taking pictures 46.2% from the sector. Though he related on simply 31.8% of his three-pointers, he compensated by relentlessly attacking the paint, incomes 9.2 free-throw makes an attempt per sport and changing 80.2% from the road.
That aggressive type is strictly what caught Buzelis’ consideration.
Quite than counting on bounce photographs, Avdija constantly makes use of his 6-foot-9 body to create benefits off the dribble, initiating contact, getting downhill and ending via defenders. His willingness to soak up contact helped elevate him from averaging 16.9 factors in 2024-25 to greater than 24 factors per sport the next season.
Buzelis additionally talked about Orlando Magic ahead Franz Wagner and Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant as gamers he admires, however made it clear Avdija is at the moment his prime offseason mentor.
