The Chicago Bulls select forward Patrick Williams #4 overall.

[Lexluthor]

I wish he was more aggressive on offense

[cjbulls]

Agree. For a raw player he can do some individual things. The in between stuff will take a few years to learn. Mostly ball handling. He is the kind of raw player that has the ability imo to add to his skill level. The errors and mistakes can be corrected with him. That was why he was drafted so high, they think he can fill in the gaps.

I don’t actually think he’s “raw” in the way I use that term. Tyrus Thomas was raw. Tyson Chandler was raw. Giannis was raw. Those are the types to whom I apply that term.

P Willy has a surprisingly low and tight handle, can take defenders both ways off the dribble (and actually appears to prefer to go left), can change directions and pace, has good shooting form, eyes up to spot shooters, understands help defense and seems to understand spacing and positioning.

He needs time and comfort due to his unusually young age and non-traditional background for a high lottery pick (never started a college game and was a role player) to put it all together. But many of the underlying skills and awarenesses are there.

I don’t categorize him as raw. I categorize him as lacking experience.

Agreed. If I didn't know anything about him before watching him play, I'd probably assume he was a Covington/Ariza type of vet who just knows how to play the right way.

Once he gets his rebounding down, he's going to cement his floor as valuable 3&D role player. If he can learn how to become more assertive, then we can start talking about potential building block.

Rebounding isn’t something you get down. You either have it or you don’t generally. He also was a poor rebounder in college.

[PlayerUp]

I wish he was more aggressive on offense

Not uncommon for rookies of his age. He's still trying to figure everything out. He can improve on this overtime.

[WindyCityBorn]

does anyone think he can reach the "Jimmy Butler" type talent, or a top 15 nba type talent

He has the potential, but that goes for lot of young players.

[WindyCityBorn]

I wish he was more aggressive on offense

He is the like 4th or 5th option right now. His time will come.

[WindyCityBorn]

I agree Doug. This draft class is off to a very strong start. And other guys who have not had their chance yet are going to emerge as well. Not sure where it will end up on the “superstars produced” scale, but there’s got to be quite a few happy FOs, coaches and fans out there at this early stage in the season.

I think, in hindsight, this draft class would have been much more highly valued had these players gotten an NCAA tourney to shine.

Yeah, the counterpoint is, no one is playing at a star level, there is no Zion like performances coming out of this class. So it may just be a bunch of good players, I may have gotten irrationally down due to the lack of star potential and assumed they'd all be busts, but it looks like a bunch of solid guys so far.

Some guys develop later. Took Giannis like 3 years to look like a star. I really don’t expect any 18 or 19 year old to look like a star immediately. Those are the exceptions.

[madvillian]

I was mistaken I thought he posted better rebounding numbers in college. That said, rebounding is over rated in general and most teams these days don't even contest offensive rebounds lest they get trampled in semi transition on the way back down the court. If he can pitch in some tip ins once or twice a game and get another possession or two great, if not, no big deal.

[dougthonus]

I was mistaken I thought he posted better rebounding numbers in college. That said, rebounding is over rated in general and most teams these days don't even contest offensive rebounds lest they get trampled in semi transition on the way back down the court. If he can pitch in some tip ins once or twice a game and get another possession or two great, if not, no big deal.

Rebounding as a stat is overrated. Rebounding in terms of how you impact your teams ability to rebound is not overrated. Robin Lopez doesn't post great rebounding numbers, but has a huge impact on team rebounding as an example. Lauri has posted decent to good rebounding numbers, but I don't believe has a big impact on team rebounding (haven't verified it, just my subjective view).

If Williams can be a guy whom is active, hits the glass hard / boxes out well then it can make a big difference. If he just picks up 3 additional uncontested rebounds a game then it doesn't make a difference.

I'm so, so on Williams so far. He's clearly not going to be a Giannis, he's no where near that kind of athlete nor does he have that kind of length. He could be a Jimmy Butler, but he has a long way to go in a lot of areas and that outcome is probably 1 to 2 standard deviations away of what we'd expect about a prospect that looks like him with his physicals right now, but so was Jimmy Butler when we drafted him.

I'm thinking maybe a more and more that a modern day Luol Deng might be a good comparison. Replace the long 2 with good but not elite 3 point shooting, and maybe he's a guy who chips in 17-18 points a game and can do a lot of things on defense but doesn't create a whole lot of looks.

[MrSparkle]

IMO Williams' hands are noticeably better than Deng's: handles, hops, passing touch. He's created more baskets in 8 games than Luol did in his entire career. His athleticism and frame are both noticeably better (stronger AND faster).

Giannis is certainly a different class of athlete and length, but certainly OG (without the ACL setback), Jimmy, and pre-superstar Kawhi are all very reasonable comparisons if you want low-mid-high case scenarios for PW.

But I do think he's got much to develop, and I was right to pump the brakes on my self during pre-season. Also, it wouldn't be the first time a Bull wows me in debut pre-season and has a downward trajectory from there on out. In his corner, he's a smart player with no flaws. But for most part, his reg. season has been 'deer in headlights.'

We'll get a good sense of his ceiling once he faces Kawhi, Lebron, Durant, etc.

[madvillian]

I was mistaken I thought he posted better rebounding numbers in college. That said, rebounding is over rated in general and most teams these days don't even contest offensive rebounds lest they get trampled in semi transition on the way back down the court. If he can pitch in some tip ins once or twice a game and get another possession or two great, if not, no big deal.

Rebounding as a stat is overrated. Rebounding in terms of how you impact your teams ability to rebound is not overrated. Robin Lopez doesn't post great rebounding numbers, but has a huge impact on team rebounding as an example. Lauri has posted decent to good rebounding numbers, but I don't believe has a big impact on team rebounding (haven't verified it, just my subjective view).

If Williams can be a guy whom is active, hits the glass hard / boxes out well then it can make a big difference. If he just picks up 3 additional uncontested rebounds a game then it doesn't make a difference.

I'm so, so on Williams so far. He's clearly not going to be a Giannis, he's no where near that kind of athlete nor does he have that kind of length. He could be a Jimmy Butler, but he has a long way to go in a lot of areas and that outcome is probably 1 to 2 standard deviations away of what we'd expect about a prospect that looks like him with his physicals right now, but so was Jimmy Butler when we drafted him.

I'm thinking maybe a more and more that a modern day Luol Deng might be a good comparison. Replace the long 2 with good but not elite 3 point shooting, and maybe he's a guy who chips in 17-18 points a game and can do a lot of things on defense but doesn't create a whole lot of looks.

If the Bulls get Deng 2.0 I think everybody would be quite happy.

[TheSuzerain]

Deng was absolutely elite on defense though. PWill looks to have more on-ball creation potential (although it's mostly potential for now).

[nomorezorro]

i wouldn't have anticipated flashes of on-ball potential as one of williams's strengths out of the gate based on his college footage. it'll be interesting to see how much he can expand his game in that regard.

obviously it's hard to project him getting to a star level on that front, but i also think he intentionally plays within his means way more than your average 19-year-old prospect, so there's a chance his ceiling is higher than it appears at first blush

[RedBulls23]

Deng was absolutely elite on defense though. PWill looks to have more on-ball creation potential (although it's mostly potential for now).

I think his handles are already better than Deng's were. Still ways to go though.

[CjayC]

I'm hoping Jaylen Brown is the blueprint, and trajectory for Pat. If anything he's probably a slightly better ball handler(Although not saying much with some of Pat's turnovers), and shooter than rookie Brown, although Brown has the edge on athleticism.

[kodo]

IMO Williams' hands are noticeably better than Deng's: handles, hops, passing touch. He's created more baskets in 8 games than Luol did in his entire career. His athleticism and frame are both noticeably better (stronger AND faster).

Gonna agree here, Williams seems to have better handles & footwork. He has more shiftiness to his game.



Lu would definitely be considered a PF today, he was limited to the two-dribble & pull-up game.

[dougthonus]

Deng was absolutely elite on defense though. PWill looks to have more on-ball creation potential (although it's mostly potential for now).

It's really early to interpret how well Pat will be as a shot creator, but there are some signs here and there, but none that are big enough that my best guess is he'll be a whole better than Deng at it. Deng also wasn't a zero at creating his own shot. He wasn't an elite guy at it, but when he had favorable matchups he could. I view Pat as likely ending up in that same place, but again, really early to call anything.

[pipfan]

I see Williams as a building block, and a potential 3rd option/marginal All Star-great draft pick

[Chi town]

I'm hoping Jaylen Brown is the blueprint, and trajectory for Pat. If anything he's probably a slightly better ball handler(Although not saying much with some of Pat's turnovers), and shooter than rookie Brown, although Brown has the edge on athleticism.

That's the comp I have too. Very similar players in many ways. Jaylen has slowly made progress every season and is now flashing he may be just as good as Tatum.

[Chi town]

PW is always going to be compared to Melo though since Bulls could have traded up and didn't.

Melo looks like a star in the making. Already flashing beyond Lonzo. The way he has played thus far he could have solved all of our playmaking problems.

[sco]

PW is always going to be compared to Melo though since Bulls could have traded up and didn't.

Melo looks like a star in the making. Already flashing beyond Lonzo. The way he has played thus far he could have solved all of our playmaking problems.

I wasn't thrilled with Ball given his limitations coming in, but so far it looks like I was wrong. Honestly, I just didn't want Deni...not that he looks bad, but he doesn't look like Luca's long lost twin. PWill has fewer holes in his game than I expected at this stage of his career.