670 The Score -- About five minutes into his postgame media session after the Bulls’ 135-130 overtime win against the Clippers on Thursday, second-year forward Patrick Williams had to get something off his chest.
“I’m not sure if you guys know, but I was also late to shootaround this morning,” Williams told a group of reporters who had no inkling that was the case. “I just felt like I let the guys down. I had missed some of the film session, so I felt like I let the guys down. So tonight, I just wanted to come out here and give it my all, let the guys know that I was still locked in. This late in the season, we can’t afford to have guys late to shootaround, things like that. I definitely apologized to those guys. I just said I was going to give it all I got tonight. I was able to make a couple shots.”
Williams soon acknowledged that he was fined for his infraction. Asked what the reason was for being late, Williams responded, “Nothing, just being 20.”
In his interview just after Williams’ media session, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan – a veteran in his 13th NBA season – was asked how he and teammates reacted to Williams being late to shootaround. Fresh off a 50-point game, DeRozan perked up to another level, wondering just how that information on Williams’ tardiness had been leaked.
“Damn, who said that?” DeRozan said.
He was informed Williams revealed it.
“He said that?” DeRozan said. “I got to tell him not to say that to the media. He’s tripping. He got to learn, he got to learn. God damn, why’d he say that? Shit.”
DeRozan then explained that the Bulls joked with Williams after making it clear he needed to be more punctual.
“Yeah, he was late,” DeRozan said. “You get on them, then at the same time, you turn it into a joke at the same time. But you definitely get on them. I said something to him, then after that, we turn it into a joke. He made sure he was an hour early to his (pregame) time today. You definitely be on him. It won’t happen again.”
Williams had his best game of his injury-plagued season Thursday, recording 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. The Bulls improved to 45-32 and are fifth in the East.
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.