Matas Buzelis was ranked second among Central Division small forwards for the 2026-27 season, a sign that the Chicago Bulls already have one of the division’s most intriguing young wings. Ausar Thompson finished first, but Buzelis’ case rests on a fuller offensive load and a two-way profile that keeps him in the conversation near the top of the group.
The ranking matters because it arrives with a clean set of 2025-26 numbers that explain why his name is being pushed up the board now. Buzelis averaged 16.3 points per game, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while shooting 34.9% from three-point range on 6.4 attempts a night. That volume matters. A wing who can space the floor, attack the basket off the dribble and still offer rim protection is the kind of player teams keep circling as he moves deeper into his early seasons.
His three-point profile is the clearest part of the argument. Taking 6.4 threes per game while making 34.9% of them shows both willingness and range, and it gives the Bulls a wing who can bend defenses without needing the ball every trip. For readers tracking young players through a broader lens, there is already a familiar marker for upside: a separate note about Jaylin Sellers and Matas Buzelis tied to a 38-inch vertical, a reminder that his athletic tools remain part of the appeal even when the scoring line is the headline.
Still, the ranking left room for debate. Thompson was placed ahead of Buzelis despite putting up 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and despite earning 2026 All-Defensive 1st Team honors after leading the NBA in steals. He also posted 10 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks across three games against the Bulls, which helps explain why evaluators may have leaned his way. But Buzelis had the stronger scoring volume, and that is the part of the comparison that keeps his rise from feeling like a simple ranking exercise.
The bigger takeaway is that the Bulls are not being asked to wait for a blank-slate prospect anymore. Buzelis is already being measured against the best young wings in the Central Division, with Peyton Watson third, Jaime Jacquez Jr. fourth and Aaron Nesmith fifth. If he holds the same scoring load while sharpening the rest of his game, the next step is not about proving he belongs in the group. It is about proving he belongs at the top of it.
