Matas Buzelis’ shooting and shot blocking give Bulls a useful combination

Matas Buzelis finished 2025-26 with 173 made three-pointers and 116 blocks. The Bulls' season notes identify him as the franchise's first player to reach 170 threes and 100 blocks in one season.

The underlying workload is just as useful as the milestone. Basketball-Reference's season table records 77 appearances, all starts, and 2,248 minutes. Buzelis made 173 of 495 three-point attempts, a 34.9% rate, while averaging 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds.

More than half his field-goal attempts came from three: 495 out of 963, or about 51.4%, calculated from those totals. That volume means opponents have to account for the shot even while its consistency remains a development question.

The blocks add a different kind of value, but neither number is a complete grade. Three-point totals do not measure every offensive decision; blocks do not capture all the positioning and communication a defense needs.

For Chicago, the combination offers a practical foundation. Buzelis can threaten space on one end and affect attempts on the other. The next step is making the possessions between those visible plays more reliable, so the broader performance matches the range of skills already present.