5 second-year NBA players ready for a breakout season

Patrick Williams is the breakout candidate on the breakout Chicago Bulls

One team many people seem to be very high on this year is the Chicago Bulls. They are another year removed from GarPax nonsense and should be a playoff team under Billy Donovan this summer. This is Zach LaVine’s year to shine with Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan coming over. More importantly, Patrick Williams could become an absolute menace in the Chicago front court.

As with Bane and Okoro, Williams played well enough as a rookie to earn a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team. The No. 4 overall pick out of Florida State averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 27.9 minutes per contest. Even more impressive, he was a starter in all 71 games he played for the Bulls last year. Simply, they are banking on him to become an All-Star.

While that may not happen right away, it is abundantly clear that Chicago recognizes him as an incredible talent. He only just turned 20-years-old, so he may not even be close to his ceiling. Unlike Hayes in Detroit, Williams is playing alongside established stars like DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Mirotic, as well as another promising player in Ball. He may be an elite fifth starter for them.

If Chicago does make the Eastern Conference Playoffs, Williams’ growth will be a reason for that.