About this episode

Matas Buzelis discusses his Chicago roots, development for the upcoming season, and experiences representing Lithuania in basketball.

Description:Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation about his Chicago roots, his development heading into next season, representing Lithuania, and the confidence he’s bringing into the next stage of his career. Matas takes us back to growing up in Chicago and shares the basketball influences that helped shape his game, where his bounce and athleticism came from, and what it means to now suit up for his hometown Chicago Bulls. He also talks about representing Lithuania in FIBA and the expectations he has for himself heading into the upcoming season. The conversation gets into the details of Matas’ offseason and the areas he’s focused on improving. That includes getting a chef to dial in his nutrition, add strength, and make sure his body is ready for the demands of next season. He also explains why he wants to bring more mid-range jumpers into his game—even if the coaching staff would rather see him stay away from them—and why he believes that shot can become another weapon in his offensive arsenal. Away from the court, Matas tells us what he might be doing if basketball wasn’t his career and gets into the music that stays in his…

People in this episode

Hosts: Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady

Guest: Matas Buzelis

Topics covered

• basketball
• Chicago Bulls
• Matas Buzelis
• athletic development
• nutrition
• trash talking
• music

Keywords

• Matas Buzelis
• Chicago Bulls
• Luka Doncic
• basketball development
• nutrition
• FIBA
• mid-range jumpers
• Chicago music

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chicago Bulls, Lithuania, FIBA

More episodes of Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady

• Derik Queen on His Rookie NBA Journey, Cooper Flagg, and His Baltimore Roots · September 4, 2026 · 54 min
• Donovan Mitchell On Cavaliers’ Championship Chase, Entering Year 10 & Marrying Coco Jones · September 2, 2026 · 1h 9m
• Bob Myers on Philly Acquiring LeBron & Jaylen Brown, Building Champions, and Tough NBA Decisions · August 26, 2026 · 1h 0m
• T-Mac Honors Amar’e at the Hall of Fame + Does an MVP Mean More Than a Championship? · August 24, 2026 · 47 min
• Jamal Crawford on Becoming a Future NBA Coach, LeBron to Philly, Wemby & His Legendary Sixth Man Career · August 17, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Amar’e Stoudemire on Getting Inducted Into the Hall of Fame, T-Mac, Knicks & 7SOL Suns · August 13, 2026 · 49 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady podcast page.