Patrick Williams just signed the contract of his life with the Chicago Bulls this offseason, with a five-year, $90 million deal. While it’s a celebratory moment for Williams, the work was far over for him, as it turned out that Williams still hasn’t fully healed from his season-ending bone edema.
Despite not being fully cleared to play yet, Patrick Williams is willing to do whatever it takes to be ready for training camp. According to a report and interview from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Patrick Williams gave an update on his rehab.
“I’m running and jumping now with no pain, no swelling,” Williams said during a Summer League game. “So it’s just a matter of getting my legs back under me,” Williams said. “The bone is fully healed. That rehab process is pretty much resting, making sure that I’m getting enough rest on that foot. Going over some things like how you run, how you walk, some preventative things. But for the most part, it’s let the bone rest, let the body do what it does.”
Right now, Williams is focused on strengthening his Achilles and the pop in his jump; it’s been nearly four months since Patrick Williams has been able to jump.
“After not being able to jump around for four months, the muscles in the leg, the Achilles strength, the pop that comes with playing a lot, you have to gain that back,” Williams said. “That’s the same if I sprained my ankle and I’m out two weeks. It’s going to take a little bit of time to get that pop back. That’s kind of what I’m dealing with now. It couldn’t happen at a better time.”
Make no mistake, receiving a $90 million contract from the Chicago Bulls isn’t something that Patrick Williams takes lightly. He knows how much the Bulls believe in him, and how much responsibility is on his shoulders with the team’s new youth movement.
“They believe in me. I believe in them. And we’re ready to get to work,” Williams said. “For me, the work doesn’t stop. The way I think about it is it’s more work, more on my shoulders, being a leader for this team now, using some of my experience, but also still growing.”
The moment that Patrick Williams is about to experience with the Chicago Bulls is one that every NBA player waits their whole lives for. The moment to provide generational wealth for his family, and to prove just who he is.
