Ayo Dosunmu put his name in the headlines on Monday by making a bold statement on a YouTube livestream. Dosunmu stated that he believes teammate Matas Buzelis‘ career trajectory will follow a similar path to Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Matas is a hard worker, a tremendous worker,” Dosunmu said. “I know Giannis is a Hall of Famer, top 20, top 30 player [all time], but Matas has a chance to really dominate the game like that because he’s 6-10, 6-11.”
In addition to this claim, Dosunmu also admitted that Matas was the guy he wanted the Bulls to draft last year.
“He was the main guy I wanted them to draft last year. His body transforming is one of the things that’s surprising me. Seeing him become more powerful, as he continues to get stronger and he continues to finish better at the rim, he’s going to understand that there are very limited people that are able to stop him.”
These comments pose the question: Are these realistic expectations that Bulls fans should have for Matas’ development?
Bulls Rising Star Receives Comparison to Giannis Antetokounmpo
Both Matas and Giannis were mid-first-round selections that scouts viewed as too skinny for the modern NBA. The Bulls drafted Matas with the 11th pick in the draft, whereas the Bucks selected Giannis at 15th. Before their rookie seasons, Matas and Giannis shared almost identical measurements. Matas measured in at 6-foot-8.75 (without shoes) and weighed 197 pounds. Giannis also measured in at 6-foot-8 and weighed 196 pounds when drafted, a far cry from the 242 pounds he weighs today.
Could Matas Follow a Similar Trajectory to Giannis?
From a numbers standpoint, Matas finished with higher shooting percentages and points per game than Giannis did in his rookie year. Giannis averaged just 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, while recording field goal percentages of 34.7% from beyond the arc and 41.4% overall. Matas averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and an assist per game, with field goal percentages of 36.1% from deep and 45.4% overall.
Matas’ rookie season averages skew even lower due to the minutes restriction he faced early on. Before Zach LaVine was traded to the Kings, Matas averaged a mere 13.6 minutes in the Bulls’ first 48 games. He recorded low statistical averages of 5.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists due to low volume. Once LaVine headed for Sacramento, Matas’ numbers skyrocketed. In the final 32 games, Matas averaged 13.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
In contrast, Giannis’ improvement began in year two, where he averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His shooting percentage also jumped to 49.1%. The rest is history, as Giannis continued gradually improving. He won the Most Improved Player award in year four (averaging 22.9/8.8/5.4) and went on to win two MVP awards in years six and seven.
Giannis has Matas beat currently in terms of bulking up. By the end of Giannis’ rookie season, he had already shot up to 6-foot-11 and finished the season weighing 217 pounds. Matas has also gained weight since the combine, but last weighed in at only 209 pounds. However, a report from the Chicago Sun-Times indicates that Matas has begun offseason workouts looking bulkier and dominating team scrimmages. While it is still early in the offseason, the positive reports are strong signs that Matas will continue to gain muscle and become more dominant in the paint.
The Last Word
When comparing the two side by side, Matas and Giannis share lots of similarities. Both players excelled on both ends of the ball at a young age. Their respective statistical jumps show that they can improve quickly. When diving deep into the numbers, Ayo’s bold comparison is not as outrageous as many people would think.
Only time will tell if Matas can reach the same heights as Giannis in his career. However, Bulls fans should expect a great deal of improvement from Matas next season. Buzelis flashed enough potential last year to be considered a building block for the team. While expecting him to win two MVPs and a championship like Giannis is putting too much pressure on Buzelis, he has shown he is capable of being a star for this team. There is truly no ceiling for Matas, and he can absolutely become the number one option for the Bulls.
Featured image: © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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