Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams set the tone for Scottie Barnes

One of the early names called on the night of the 2021 NBA Draft had a pretty close connection to the lottery pick of the Chicago Bulls last fall. The Toronto Raptors used the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft lottery to pick up the former Florida State Seminoles freshman forward Scottie Barnes.

With the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery, the Bulls selected a fellow former Florida State freshman forward Patrick Williams. This sounds like a pretty similar pick in the four slot in the first round between the Bulls snagging Williams and the Raptors getting Barnes.

That is true right down to the fact that both former Florida State forwards were also the last two ACC Sixth Man of the Year Award winners. That is a pretty scary similarity between Williams and Barnes. The per-game stats were also pretty close for each during their one season with the Noles.

Chicago Bulls’ F Patrick Williams helped to pave this path for Scottie Barnes

Last season, Barnes averaged 10.3 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks. And he shot 50.3 percent from the field, 27.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 27.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 62.1 percent from the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, Williams averaged 9.2 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. And he shot 45.9 percent from the field, 32.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 83.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Both Barnes and Williams have very high ceilings as two-way forwards and former five-star recruits. These two even have similar frames. Williams stands at 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds. And Barnes stands at 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds.

What likely helped to pave the way for the NBA path for Barnes was the success for Williams last season after being selected fourth by the Bulls in the 2020 draft. Teams like the Raptors likely bought into what a prospect like Barnes brings to the table after the potential that Williams showed during his rookie campaign.

The lone pick that the Bulls hold in the 2021 draft sits at 38th overall in the second round. Unless Arturas Karnisovas and the Bulls make a trade in the next few picks to slide up and snag a player they want, it will be a mostly quiet night for this team.