NBA draft: Bulls VP Arturas Karnisovas Defends Patrick Williams’ Choice

The score draft wasn’t kind to the Bulls and their first round pick Patrick Williams on Thursday morning.

However, there is one thing that became very clear about Arturas Karansovas?

The new Executive Vice President of Excellence for Basketball Operations doesn’t care much about your opinions at the draft stage.

“I think his perception, I didn’t agree with people’s perceptions of him,” Karnesofas told reporters on a Zoom call hours after he won Florida the fourth choice. “They thought he was a rude and not skilled athlete, and when I saw his skill level, handling, shooting and passing ability, I disagreed that he was just a rude athlete. He just knows how to play.

“I think another, it’s a versatile cannon so it can guard from one to five, so I don’t even know its location. He’ll mark that when he gets here to Chicago and does his training.” [Billy] Donovan, he would be able to use it. If you watch Florida State matches, after the baskets, the goalkeepers will be pressured. This is a very unique skill for an athletic and adult player. ”

A skill that Karnesofas and bulls welcome with open arms.

Yes, former trainer Jim Boylin switched defensive efficiency numbers around last season, but on many nights those calories were empty with what they gave up at that end of the floor either in the paint or on the edge.

Then Karnisovas and its partners let defense specialists Kris Dunn and Shaquille Harrison walk into a free agency last week.

With Kobe White and Zach Lavigne at times seemingly sensitive to defensive play, and Otto Porter Jr. was expected to be elsewhere by the next season, in the world of Karnsofas Williams was not only the best player available on the board, he needed the list .

Sure, it’s not a good idea to recruit a kid who couldn’t even start on his college team – watch Dion Waiterses in the world – but being one of the youngest players in this draft class also means he was one of the youngest players on campus FSU.

What Carnisovas is counting on is for Williams to continue to understand that at 6 feet 8 feet 225 pounds, his potential at that level is fundamentally untapped.

“I think the more you study Patrick, the more you realize that this is what the NBA is today,” said Karnesovas. “We need players in our league who can play multi-position. He is an outstanding athlete. He showed that in college. He was not consistent, but on campus in Florida he was at such a young age, and he started joining him at the end of the season.”

“ For us, he was the right man. ”

And the position to get it.

Yes, long-range shooting into a lethal rear area is desirable by teams, but the League is all about your attacker. If he’s an elite – especially on both ends of the Earth – print match tickets. LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Jason Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmo, Kevin Durant, just go to the bottom of the list.

If the team does not have a striker of this caliber on the list, it is best to have a striker who can slow him down.

So, while criticism of Karnisovas’ first draft in his new chair was expected, the CEO hopes it will prove unwarranted.

“I’m just looking forward to it [Williams] Karnesovas said. “It’s a very short period between now and boot camp, December 1. The learning curve will be steep. We will try our best to incorporate it into our practice.

“We wanted to have it [this draft] right. Patrick was our man. ”