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Patrick Williams praises DeMar DeRozan for being an incredible mentor to young guys
Despite making an insane amount of money, life for NBA players can be tough, especially for young guys. Patrick Williams has a good grasp of this since he became a pro at 19 years of age after he was selected fourth overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2020 NBA Draft. Thankfully, the young forward has a great mentor in veteran wingman DeMar DeRozan who Williams credits for helping him develop in the league.
Unique individual
Deebo is one of the most unique superstars in the entire NBA. The six-time All-Star is a master of the midrange and has almost no three-point shot to speak of in an era dominated by the long ball. Despite that, he remains one of the NBA's most lethal scorers and crunchtime performers, who averaged 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game last season. Williams praised DeRozan's uniqueness by saying: "There aren't a lot of guys like him, for sure."
The former USC Trojan is known for his unwavering work ethic, demonstrated by his renowned 5 AM workouts during the offseason. This year, he mentored Williams and the young guard Dalen Terry, leading them through intense dawn training sessions and sharing invaluable insights into the intricacies of the game.
"He doesn't get half of the credit he deserves," Williams said.
Excited for the season
Many fans and pundits see Williams as the key to the Bulls' future success. With a mature physique and impressive athleticism, Williams possesses the necessary tools to make a substantial impact and undoubtedly surpass his averages of 10.2 points and 4 rebounds per game.
However, Williams is more focused on helping the Bulls rack up wins rather than chasing personal accolades.
"Win. That's always the goal. That's the main focus coming in. Obviously, everybody kind of has their personal accolades of what they wanna see but winning takes care of everything. That's always been mine."
