Chicago Bulls' Matas Buzelis Looks to Israeli Star Deni Avdija to Improve Scoring Attack

Matas Buzelis, a Chicago Bulls player in his third NBA season, has expressed admiration for Israeli All-Star Deni Avdija and is seeking to learn from him how to enhance his ability to attack the basket. Speaking on the "Ball in the Family" podcast, Buzelis revealed that he has been in contact with Avdija and wants to improve his driving game, feeling he has relied too much on three-point shots. "I talk to him," Buzelis said. "I feel like I’ve been shooting too many threes, and I need to get more to the rim. I want to know how he uses his body, how he attacks." Besides Avdija, Buzelis also mentioned Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner as another player he admires and wants to learn from.

In the previous season, Buzelis averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists over 77 games, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range, while leading Chicago with 6.4 three-point attempts per game. Avdija, meanwhile, had a breakout season with the Portland Trail Blazers, posting averages of 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.