Thursday, June 27, 2002
Williams goes to Bulls, just as he wanted
The Associated Press
DEERFIELD, Ill. — When he was 10 or 11, Jay Williams and a buddy decided to get a little creative with some spray paint and a wall that ran between his house and the next-door neighbors. “BULLS ARE BACK,” they wrote. With Williams' help, they just might be.
The Chicago Bulls made him the second overall pick in Wednesday night's NBA draft, the final piece in what could eventually become one of the East's dominant teams.
“I came home last week and I looked at the wall,” Williams said. “It was really weird that was there, but I really look forward to it. Chicago has a lot of great things happening for it. I just look forward to bringing whatever I can to the table for our team.”
In the second round, the Bulls drafted Roger Mason Jr., a guard from Virginia; and Lonny Baxter, a forward-center from national champion Maryland.
“We came out very happy and feel very good about where we're going as a franchise,” general manager Jerry Krause said.
Unlike past drafts, where Krause has kept the rest of the league guessing, the Bulls made no secret of their interest in Williams. The college player of the year and a two-time All-American at Duke, he's considered to be the most NBA-ready of the top prospects.
He averaged 21.3 points last season, best in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He scored a career-high 38 in Duke's overtime victory over Kentucky last December, scoring 23 of the Blue Devils' final 31 points in regulation.
He's also far more mature than most 20-year-olds. Though he left Duke after his junior year, he's already completed his sociology degree.
“He's a young man of class and character,” Krause said.
Williams was already checking the real estate listings when he came in for his workout earlier this month.
“When I first stepped foot in that city, I got nothing but a great vibe,” he said.
The Houston Rockets had focused on 7-foot-5 center Yao Ming of China because they had the No. 1 pick. And once Yao got clearance from the Chinese national federation to play in the NBA early Wednesday, Williams was on his way to the Bulls.
Williams grinned when NBA commissioner David Stern announced his selection. At the Berto Center, the Bulls' practice facility, a cheer went up.
It was the second straight year the Bulls got the second overall pick. A year ago, they acquired teenager Tyson Chandler from the Los Angeles Clippers for Elton Brand in a major draft-night deal.
“Everybody's a lot happier around here,” said Chandler, sporting a Williams jersey. “We're to the point we can see where we're going. It's time to move ahead. No more lottery picks.”
With his savvy on the court and his maturity off of it, Williams could be the last piece the Bulls need to rejoin the ranks of respectable teams. They already have a marquee player and a big-time scorer with Jalen Rose, and Eddy Curry and Chandler are developing nicely.
Add in Williams, and the Bulls could make things interesting in the East.
“We feel we have a great nucleus to get after it now,” coach Bill Cartwright said. “We're off and running.”
The Bulls already have a point guard in Jamal Crawford, who is looking for a breakout year after missing most of last season with a knee injury. But Crawford said the two can play together.
Cartwright said he'll start experimenting with lineup combinations in coming weeks at the summer camps.
“We're both unselfish and we both want to play basketball,” Crawford said. “The bottom line is, we both want to win.”
And the Bulls will be winners again, Williams said. He'll make sure of that — with or without a spray paint boast.
“I'm not Michael Jordan. You guys know that,” he said. “But I can guarantee you that I'm going to bring in a lot of hard work and determination to always win.”
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Williams goes to Bulls, just as he wanted 
