USC Football: Trojans Great-Turned-NBA All-Star Welcomes Caleb Williams To Chicago

Caleb Williams was welcomed to Chicago by former USC men's basketball and current NBA All-Star.
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The Trojans are taking over Chicago!

Another star USC athlete is ready to make his mark his mark in Chicago, with the Chicago Bears drafting quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall. Williams already earned a special welcome from another former Trojan, veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan, who has been starring for the Chicago Bulls for the last three years.

"On behalf of Chicago and the Bulls, we want to welcome you, Caleb, to the family, to the city. You're gonna do big things and fight on," DeRozan said via the Bulls' Instagram page, while holding a Bulls jersey with Williams' name on it.

DeRozan played at USC back in 2008-2009, helping lead USC to a Pac-10 Tournament Championship and winning the Pac-10 Tournament MVP. He then went on to become the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. He spent nine years with the Raptors before getting traded to the San Antonio Spurs for three years, and since getting traded to the Bulls. He's become a six-time NBA All-Star and had his number retired by USC.

The Bears are hopeful Williams will have similar success as a pro. He was the top quarterback prospect in this year's draft thanks to his arm, ability to make plays off-schedule, and unique talent as a quarterback.

Williams had a great career at USC over the last two years, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022, the AP College Football Player of the Year, and the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He went for 3,333 yards, 30 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 2023, and will now try to bring this production to the NFL.

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Eva Geitheim

EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.