1. Early life and high school career
Patrick Lee Williams was born on August 26, 2001, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he also grew up. Both of his parents, Eddie and Janie Williams, played college basketball at Johnson C. Smith University.
1.1. High school basketball career
Williams attended West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was a four-year starter on the varsity basketball team. During his junior season, he averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. Williams was rated as a four-star recruit and a consensus top-50 prospect in his class. He received offers from numerous prominent college basketball programs, including Arizona, Clemson, Louisville, Maryland, NC State, Ohio State, Texas, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. Ultimately, he committed to play college basketball for Florida State.
In his senior year, Williams' performance was exceptional, averaging 22.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 3.1 assists per game. His contributions led the West Charlotte Lions to the 4A State Championship game, and he was named the Mecklenburg County Player of the Year by The Charlotte Observer. Williams also participated in the prestigious 2019 Jordan Brand Classic. He concluded his high school career with impressive cumulative statistics, totaling 1,787 points, 749 rebounds, and 310 assists over his four seasons.
2. College career
Williams entered his freshman year at Florida State with high expectations, being rated as the 21st-best prospect for the 2020 NBA draft by ESPN. He primarily served as the sixth man for the Seminoles during his single season there.
Early in his collegiate career, Williams demonstrated his scoring ability, recording 18 points and four rebounds against Western Carolina, followed by a 16-point performance against Tennessee-Chattanooga. He continued to deliver strong outings, contributing 14 points and a career-high nine rebounds in a 65-59 victory over North Carolina. In the subsequent game, he scored 14 points in a dominant 99-81 win against Miami (Florida). On February 15, he played a crucial role in an 80-77 win over Syracuse, tallying 17 points and seven rebounds.
At the conclusion of the regular season, Williams received significant accolades for his performance. He was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and was honored as the conference's Sixth Man of the Year. For the season, he averaged 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and one block per game. Following his successful freshman year, Williams declared for the 2020 NBA draft, alongside his teammate Devin Vassell.
3. Professional career
Standing at 79 in (201 cm) and weighing 216 lb (98 kg), Patrick Williams transitioned from college to the professional ranks, beginning his career with the Chicago Bulls.
3.1. Chicago Bulls (2020-present)
Patrick Williams was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft on November 18, 2020. He signed his rookie scale contract with the Bulls on November 22, 2020. Williams made his official NBA debut on December 23, 2020, starting the game and contributing 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in a 104-124 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. On May 15, 2021, he achieved a season-high 24 points, along with five rebounds and two steals, in a 91-105 loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
On October 28, 2021, Williams suffered a dislocated wrist during the Bulls' 103-104 loss to the New York Knicks. The injury required surgery, ruling him out for an estimated 4 to 6 months. He made his return to the court on March 21, 2022, recording seven points and two rebounds in a 113-99 victory over the Toronto Raptors. On April 10, Williams delivered a career-high performance, scoring 35 points, alongside four rebounds and four assists, in a 124-120 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Bulls qualified for the postseason for the first time since the 2017 season, facing the reigning champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, in their first-round series. Williams made his playoff debut on April 17, recording five points, three rebounds, and two steals in an 86-93 loss in Game 1. The Bulls ultimately lost the series to the Bucks in five games.
On July 6, 2024, Williams re-signed with the Chicago Bulls. As of September 30, 2024, he was cleared for training camp after experiencing discomfort in his foot during the Bulls' minicamp. Williams wears jersey number 44 for the Bulls.
4. Awards and honors
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2021)
- ACC Sixth Man of the Year (2020)
- ACC All-Freshman Team (2020)
- Mecklenburg County Player of the Year (2019)
- Jordan Brand Classic (2019)
5. Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
5.1. NBA
5.1.1. Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Chicago | 71 | 71 | 27.9 | .483 | .391 | .728 | 4.6 | 1.4 | .9 | .6 | 9.2 |
| 2021-22 | Chicago | 17 | 9 | 24.8 | .529 | .517 | .732 | 4.1 | .9 | .5 | .5 | 9.0 |
| 2022-23 | Chicago | 82 | 65 | 28.3 | .464 | .415 | .857 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .9 | .9 | 10.2 |
| 2023-24 | Chicago | 43 | 30 | 27.3 | .443 | .399 | .788 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .9 | .8 | 10.0 |
| Career | 213 | 175 | 27.7 | .469 | .410 | .780 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .9 | .7 | 9.7 | |
5.1.2. Play-in
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chicago | 2 | 0 | 21.2 | .333 | .333 | - | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 6.0 |
| Career | 2 | 0 | 21.2 | .333 | .333 | - | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 6.0 | |
5.1.3. Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Chicago | 5 | 5 | 30.6 | .468 | .333 | .727 | 5.4 | .8 | 1.0 | .6 | 11.8 |
| Career | 5 | 5 | 30.6 | .468 | .333 | .727 | 5.4 | .8 | 1.0 | .6 | 11.8 | |
5.2. College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Florida State | 29 | 0 | 22.5 | .459 | .320 | .838 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.2 |