It’s easy to tell when a future star has descended upon the United Center.
Before Saturday night’s Chicago Bulls game against the Dallas Mavericks, all it took was a glance at the stands. Cooper Flagg jerseys dotted the arena. A mass of fans in blue and black hung over the railing where Mavs players passed through to access their locker room, dangling trading cards and hats and jerseys with the hopes of securing a coveted signature from the rookie.
Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, is the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year, widening the margin between himself and fellow newcomers such as Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe with each passing week. Only 19, Flagg is the type of star who draws a crowd wherever he goes, converting hometown arenas into surreptitious fans with his standout plays.
But in a 125-107 demolition of the Mavericks, forward Matas Buzelis wanted to show that the Bulls have a young star of their own.
Players tend to shy away from acknowledging the hype surrounding rivals from their own (or a neighboring) draft class. Buzelis, 21, is no different. He shrugged off questions about his first matchup against Flagg, praising the rookie for his talent after spending most of the night matched up against him.
“He struggled a little bit tonight but he’s a great player,” Buzelis said. “He’s going to bounce back and I’m happy we got the win.”
But even if he won’t say it to the media, it’s clear Buzelis wants moments like these. He craves the opportunity to push back on narratives, to write himself into the script. Sure, Flagg is the future face of the league. But Buzelis feels he can fill that role just as well.
Slowing Flagg is difficult. Buzelis learned that in real time in the second quarter as he scrambled back in transition to cover Flagg, who rocked the ball once before blasting downhill and directly into his chest. Buzelis swatted at the ball with both arms and took a shoulder to the face in the process, but it was Flagg who earned the whistle as he floated a shot off his fingertips and into the basket.
Outside of a few sharp plays, however, Flagg struggled against the Bulls. He finished with only 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting, missing his only shot behind the arc and turning the ball over five times.
It wasn’t a perfect outing for Buzelis, the No. 11 pick in 2024. He scored 15 points, third-most on the Bulls, and struggled mightily behind the arc (1-for-7). But Buzelis had his chances to shine, ripping the ball around his head before throwing it through the rim at full speed for a signature dunk in the fourth quarter.
This was only the first battle of a matchup that will last for years. But on Saturday, Buzelis asserted himself against the best of the 2025 draft class, reminding fans at the United Center of his potential for future stardom.
If this young pair get their way, this pattern will continue. For Buzelis, learning how to outshine fellow young stars is a crucial step in his early development.
“I’m trying to learn their tendencies, what they do on the court and trying to stop what they’re really good at,” Buzelis said. “Sometimes it’s hard, but I’m willing to take on the challenge.”
Here are three takeaways from the win that snapped the Bulls’ three-game losing streak.
1. Coby White found his groove.
The Bulls have been waiting for White to get his rhythm back. On Saturday, he found the first few beats.
White scored a team-high 22 points in one of his most balanced outings of the season as he continues to recover from a pair of calf strains. He was undeterred by physical contact around the rim, bouncing off defenders to carve enough space to shoot with his off hand. Long-range shooting is still a work in progress for White — who went 2-for-7 on 3s — but he missed only one shot inside the arc.
The Bulls didn’t need to rely on one players to fuel their scoring. Seven players finished with at least 13 points. Ayo Dosunmu went 3-for-4 from deep and set the tempo in transition to score 20 points. But White’s return to form was a welcome sign for the Bulls, who have struggled at times to create offense without their star guard acting as an engine.
2. Back to the bigs.
The Bulls received a major lift from center Jalen Smith, who returned after missing the last week with a concussion. During Smith’s absence, the Bulls were forced to play smaller rotations while asking veteran Nikola Vučević to play more than 35 minutes per game.
The Bulls still can’t run their two-big rotations — which rely on the presence of the injured Zach Collins — but Smith gave a needed boost around the rim, racking up two blocked shots and nine rebounds. And his return allowed Vučević to play fewer than 30 minutes (29:55) in a welcome reprieve.
3. Uncertain injury update.
Although Smith returned from his concussion, the Bulls are still on shaky ground with injuries to two key players: guard Josh Giddey and center Collins.
Giddey has resumed some off-ball activities such as stop-and-start sprints, but coach Billy Donovan said he hasn’t been cleared for a full slate of cutting, running and sprinting. That means he still hasn’t been reintegrated to practice nearly two weeks since suffering a hamstring strain.
Meanwhile, Collins hasn’t made any meaningful progress in his recovery from a sprained right big toe. The sprain is severe enough that Collins is still restricted to a boot and experiencing discomfort when he walks. Donovan said the injury is similar to turf toe, which can sideline football players for months.
Collins has received several specialist opinions based on imaging of his foot. He will meet with a doctor in person for the first time Wednesday, at which point the Bulls hope to create a concrete plan and timeline for his recovery.
Donovan noted that Collins likely will need a longer ramp-up period after he is medically cleared because of the muscle stagnation created by using the walking boot.
