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Billy Donovan speaks on the development of Patrick Williams
The development of a player’s skills in the NBA isn’t a linear process. Whereas some players get handed a bunch of minutes and are just asked to play with little to no instruction, there are some who are given a short leash and aren’t able to showcase their potential until they get more reps truly. Such has been the case with Patrick Williams, and Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is beginning to see that potential shine through.
Dropped into a team that was trying to win
Williams was picked fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, right behind All-Stars LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards. While the two aforementioned players have gone on to reach superstar status with their respective squads, Williams, on the other hand, has yet to carve out his place in the Bulls' rotation.
He began the season as the starting power forward, but not long after, he was yanked out in favor of veteran role player Torrey Craig. Injuries to Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine, though, have opened the door for Williams to return to the starting lineup.
“What I know is you can never compare your journey to someone else’s. I mean, I came to the Bulls, and we were trying to win right off the bat, so development was never a priority,” Williams said.
“We were trying to win, and that’s 100% of what I wanted to do,” he added.
In 2021, the Bulls formed their “Big 3” of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic. And with two-way point guard Lonzo Ball leading the charge, things were clicking for the Bulls as they competed for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. With the Bulls going for it, it meant putting minutes for Williams on the backburner.
Nuances of the NBA
Bulls coach Billy Donovan also explained that there were nuances in the NBA that Williams had to first learn, like not eating a plate of chicken parmesan an hour before tip-off.
“I think part of the development is teaching guys what goes into winning and how to win, and I think for a guy that came in as maybe one of the youngest players in the league, it goes all the way back [to Williams’ rookie year],” Donovan said.
“This is not to embarrass Patrick, but when it’s an hour and 15 minutes or an hour before the game, and I’m writing stuff on the board, and this guy has two huge pieces of chicken cutlet parmesan sitting on his plate, it’s probably not a good thing to eat,” Donovan shared.
Although the Bulls continue to wait for Williams to make the all-important leap, he has played better of late, averaging 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds,1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in his last nine outings.
Ultimately, Donovan said the situation that Williams finds himself in this early in his career will bode well for his future.
“There are things he’s got to understand that’s going into it, that’s what you want to do, be a winning player. I actually think it was good for him that he got thrusted into that situation.”
