If the Chicago Bulls are going to make it out of the play-in game and into the playoffs, and then potentially make some noise, Matas Buzelis will be a huge part of it. The rookie has made huge strides down the stretch of his first NBA season, and he thinks Billy Donovan is directly responsible for that.
Billy Donovan guided Matas Buzelis to this point
Matas Buzelis had to spend some time in the G-League early in the year. He wondered after not getting minutes in the NBA if he was even good enough to play. He eventually made it back and progressively got more playing time, and he’s lately made the most of it.
He credits Billy Donovan’s tough love for helping him get through that. The rookie said that his coach holds him accountable for every single play on the court. “I remember one play at Golden State, he took me out when (Andrew) Wiggins posted me up and scored,” Buzelis said via the Chicago Tribune. “It’s little stuff like that. He challenges me in practice, and I thank him for that. He’s been a huge part of my development and probably the best coach I’ve ever had.”
Donovan flipped the conversation on its head, saying that Buzelis has the talent and now has the understanding of what kind of work ethic he needs to succeed at the NBA level. “He’s starting to see that his talent level is what got him here, but his talent level is not enough to be the individual player he wants to be,” the Chicago Bulls coach said.
The coach noted that Buzelis has taken a “hard look at himself” in terms of rest, hydration, and nutrition. He also said that his protégé has gotten much more into watching film, reading scouting reports, and studying game plans. “And not having a younger-player mentality, because he’s so gifted, of (thinking), ‘All I have to do is just show up and it’s going to be OK,'” Donovan added.
Donovan is very proud of the growth his rookie has undergone this year. Buzelis thinks it’s Donovan’s guiding hand that has helped get him to that point. Now, with a do-or-die matchup on deck, it’s time to find out if that combination can get them to the postseason.
