“Patrick Williams reminds me of Kawhi Leonard”: LeBron James raves about Chicago Bulls rookie and compares him to Clippers star, following the Lakers win

LeBron James says Patrick Williams reminds him of Kawhi Leonard on defense after the Los Angeles Lakers win over the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers faced off against the Chicago Bulls last night on the back end of a back to back. The Lakers were without their defensive anchor Anthony Davis for the night. But they ended up pulling away for the win in close one as the Lakers bested the Bulls 117-115.

Though LeBron James persists on injury reports due to a sprained left ankle, it seems as though this does not bother him in the slightest. The ‘King’ put a statline that is eerily similar to his career averages. He posted up 28 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds on great efficiency.

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However, en route to his 28 points, LeBron did have to face a hurdle that came in the form of Chicago Bulls rookie Patrick Williams.

LeBron James sings Patrick Williams’ praise and compares him to Kawhi.

The Bulls drafted Patrick Williams with the 4^th overall pick with hopes of acquiring a competent on-ball defender. What they got was someone who has the potential to lock down star offensive players while also being productive on the offensive end of the floor. LeBron James recognized Williams’ talent right away. When asked about him, James said:

“He has Kawhi-type hands that I noticed out on the floor, so I knew I couldn’t play with the ball much. You could tell he’s laser sharp on trying to get better. Chicago got a good one.”

Patrick Williams’ defense didn’t stop James from scoring the game clinching bucket as he muscled his way through Williams to get the and-1 on him.

With a 6’11 wingspan, Patrick Williams can guard virtually every position from 1-4. His lateral movement on defense allows him to stay in front of quick and shifty guards.

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He is also a very competent team defender and is very good on rotations and quick to contest jumpers. He notched 4 steals in last night’s game against LeBron James and co. which is something Williams prides himself on. His game does have flashes of Kawhi. Williams is an active on-ball defender with quick hands, and also has a mid-range game.