Chicago Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis is replacing New Orleans Pelicans rookie center Yves Missi in the 2025 Castrol Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Rising Stars at NBA All-Star Weekend is a four-team, three-game mini-tournament with a lot on the line this year.
Since the NBA All-Star Game has been altered from its traditional East versus West format to a four-team mini-tournament style like this showcase for the younger talents in the league, the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge will be the fourth team to participate in the actual All-Star Game on Sunday night.
Buzelis, who will be participating in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend on Saturday night, will now get a chance to prove that he has what it takes to be considered one of the league’s better young talents in the Rising Stars. The Bulls rookie will replace Missi on Team M, led by NBA Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond.
Missi is unable to play in this event due to a right knee injury.
After being selected 11th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft and expected to step into a key role on the wing for the Bulls this season, Buzelis was not given much opportunity to play early on in the year. However, Buzelis’ role has increased since the start of 2025, and he is now a steady player in Billy Donovan’s nightly rotations since Zach LaVine was dealt ahead of the trade deadline.
Over his last eight games, Buzelis has averaged 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 59.7 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from three-point range. The rookie has scored in double figures in each of these eight games after having only three such games prior.
Buzelis will be busy during NBA All-Star Weekend, especially since his focus is on the dunk contest. Although he may not be the favorite, Buzelis’ goal is to win the event and let everyone know that he is the real deal.
In previous years, the dunk contest has helped young, athletic players get the attention they deserve. After all, this is what happened with LaVine and Aaron Gordon during their historic dunk battles.
Should he be able to win the event, this could be exactly what Buzelis needs to capture the spotlight and create a sense of hope in Chicago during what looks to be a time of rebuilding.
Buzelis now has two chances to prove his worth after being invited as an injury replacement for the Rising Stars on Friday night.
