The Chicago Bulls announced on Friday that their second-year forward Patrick Williams is dealing with a sprained ankle injury that could keep him sidelined for up to six weeks. Williams got hurt during “an optional individual workout” earlier in September, according to the team.
The projected timeline for Williams’ return means that the Florida State product will almost certainly miss the start of the 2021-22 NBA season. The Bulls are scheduled to play their first regular season game against the Detroit Pistons on October 20th.
There was some good news for Chicago, however, as guard Coby White is said to be progressing well while recovering from shoulder surgery. The team expects White to participate in noncontact practices during training camp and are optimistic he’ll return in November.
Patrick Williams is coming off a promising rookie campaign that saw him start 71 games for the Bulls and average 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per contest. Williams, who made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, was selected fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Coby White, the Bull’s 7th pick in 2019, also played well in 2020-21. He posted career highs across the board, including 15.1 points, 4.8 boards, and 4.1 assists.
