WASHINGTON – Patrick Williams is still conflicted with his exact place within this Bulls roster.

Unfortunately, it’s an inner-fight he’s losing.

The No. 4 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, admitted to the Sun-Times on Friday that while he doesn’t read social media or care much about what fans even think of him, he is starting to feel the mounting pressure of playing with All-Star players like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and where he exactly fits in.

It wasn’t in the win over Miami in the season tip-off, and it didn’t come in Friday’s 102-100 loss to the Washington Wizards.

So where?

That’s what the 21-year-old power forward is trying to figure out.

“I definitely feel it,” Williams said. “As a player, you know when you play well. But I think it’s tough. I don’t think it’s easy to play with stars. Anybody can get the ball and score, but I think it’s tough when you want to win and you play with stars, it’s tough. You gotta find different spots that you usually don’t have to find, offensive rebounds, transition, things like that. That’s where I think I have to find my buckets, just being aggressive.”

It was pointed out to Williams that he had shown at times an ability to score in bunches, especially when he put up 35 against Minnesota in the season finale last year. Of course that came with DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Vucevic all sitting out.

“In those games those guys weren’t playing there were obviously more touches to go around,” Williams said. “That’s not a knock on those guys because they are who they are. They’re All-Stars and we need them to get going in order for us to be really good, but it’s just a total different dynamic when those guys are playing and when they’re not. That’s with any team.”

Almost any team.

Williams did acknowledge that Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey – who came from his draft class – seemed to have life figured out in playing alongside All-Stars like Joel Embiid and James Harden, as well as making an impact on the game himself.

That’s the path Williams is trying to navigate, but seemingly still getting lost on that journey.

In the win over the Heat, Williams played 28 minutes, scoring just four points on six shots and grabbing just two rebounds.

In the follow-up against the Wizards, he did show some early aggressiveness in attempting a three-pointer just 90 seconds into the game, but in his 14 minutes of work in that first half, finished with three points, not a single rebound or assist, and a minus-9 in plus/minus.

Then to start the third, Kyle Kuzma – the player Williams was defending – hit back-to-back threes, forcing coach Billy Donovan into a timeout just 51 seconds into the second half with the deficit up to 12.

That deficit got up to 17, and it was once again time to lean on one of those All-Stars.

DeRozan scored six in the third and then another 12 of his eventual game-high 32 in the final quarter. It still wasn’t enough.

After Bradley Beal gave the Wizards (2-0) the two-point lead with a contested bank shot with 7.4 seconds left, DeRozan tried to play hero again, shooting what would have been the game-winning three from the top of the arc.

DeRozan did say he was looking to get downhill and try to draw the foul or the plus-one, but “I couldn’t turn the corner, so I just sized him up, tried to get the best look possible. It felt great.”

As for Williams, he finished with seven points, a rebound and a team-worst minus-23 in plus/minus. His search for his place remained ongoing.

“I’ve been talking to them about it and trying to figure it out,” Williams said. “I’m totally confident we will. Specifically, because of the player I know I am.”

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WASHINGTON – Patrick Williams is still conflicted with his exact place within this Bulls roster.

Unfortunately, it’s an inner-fight he’s losing.

The No. 4 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, admitted to the Sun-Times on Friday that while he doesn’t read social media or care much about what fans even think of him, he is starting to feel the mounting pressure of playing with All-Star players like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and where he exactly fits in.

It wasn’t in the win over Miami in the season tip-off, and it didn’t come in Friday’s 102-100 loss to the Washington Wizards.

So where?

That’s what the 21-year-old power forward is trying to figure out.

“I definitely feel it,” Williams said. “As a player, you know when you play well. But I think it’s tough. I don’t think it’s easy to play with stars. Anybody can get the ball and score, but I think it’s tough when you want to win and you play with stars, it’s tough. You gotta find different spots that you usually don’t have to find, offensive rebounds, transition, things like that. That’s where I think I have to find my buckets, just being aggressive.”

It was pointed out to Williams that he had shown at times an ability to score in bunches, especially when he put up 35 against Minnesota in the season finale last year. Of course that came with DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Vucevic all sitting out.

“In those games those guys weren’t playing there were obviously more touches to go around,” Williams said. “That’s not a knock on those guys because they are who they are. They’re All-Stars and we need them to get going in order for us to be really good, but it’s just a total different dynamic when those guys are playing and when they’re not. That’s with any team.”

Almost any team.

Williams did acknowledge that Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey – who came from his draft class – seemed to have life figured out in playing alongside All-Stars like Joel Embiid and James Harden, as well as making an impact on the game himself.

That’s the path Williams is trying to navigate, but seemingly still getting lost on that journey.

In the win over the Heat, Williams played 28 minutes, scoring just four points on six shots and grabbing just two rebounds.

In the follow-up against the Wizards, he did show some early aggressiveness in attempting a three-pointer just 90 seconds into the game, but in his 14 minutes of work in that first half, finished with three points, not a single rebound or assist, and a minus-9 in plus/minus.

Then to start the third, Kyle Kuzma – the player Williams was defending – hit back-to-back threes, forcing coach Billy Donovan into a timeout just 51 seconds into the second half with the deficit up to 12.

That deficit got up to 17, and it was once again time to lean on one of those All-Stars.

DeRozan scored six in the third and then another 12 of his eventual game-high 32 in the final quarter. It still wasn’t enough.

After Bradley Beal gave the Wizards (2-0) the two-point lead with a contested bank shot with 7.4 seconds left, DeRozan tried to play hero again, shooting what would have been the game-winning three from the top of the arc.

DeRozan did say he was looking to get downhill and try to draw the foul or the plus-one, but “I couldn’t turn the corner, so I just sized him up, tried to get the best look possible. It felt great.”

As for Williams, he finished with seven points, a rebound and a team-worst minus-23 in plus/minus. His search for his place remained ongoing.

“I’ve been talking to them about it and trying to figure it out,” Williams said. “I’m totally confident we will. Specifically, because of the player I know I am.”

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As soon as Crete-Monee senior Lynel Billups-Williams caught the punt, a coach on the Kankakee sideline said “that’s a touchdown.”

A few seconds later, after a burst down the sideline and then across the field and into the endzone, Billups-Williams had gone 60 yards to put the Warriors ahead for good.

“I felt it too,” Billups-Williams said. “Everyone was screaming ‘poison’ at me and wanted me to get away from the ball but I knew I had it. There was so much space and opportunity.”

The No. 14 Warriors needed several of those big plays to beat No. 19 Kankakee 25-22.

Billups-Williams was all over the field. He caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from junior Cory Stennis early in the third quarter. It was a dynamic run after the catch, full of broken tackles and quick dodges. He also had a crucial sack in the fourth quarter.

“We lost to them last year and that’s been on all of our minds for a long time,” Billups-Williams said. “We had the fight to win this game and everyone contributed.”

Stennis ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run with 9:24 left to put Crete-Monee ahead 25-14. That proved crucial when Kankakee drove down and scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Larenz Walters to Karson King with 10 seconds to play.

Crete-Monee recovered the onside kick to seal the win.

“The collective effort by our defense was outstanding, “Crete-Monee coach John Konecki said. “And the kids were resilient for 48 minutes. That’s been one of the strong points of this team all year long. They never quit.”

Stennis was 9-for-14 passing for 127 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He had 14 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Stennis transferred from Rich and had emergence has allowed do-it-all star Joshua Franklin the luxury of doing a little less this season. Franklin had four catches for 39 yards and was a major factor in the defensive backfield as well.

“We have so many more threats this season,” Franklin said. “That’s going to be a huge factor for us in the playoffs.”

Tyrell Hester had 14 carries for 81 yards for the Warriors (7-2, 6-0 Southland), who clinched the conference title with the win. Crete-Monee is a contender for the Class 6A state title. The Warriors losses were to Lincoln-Way East and Merrillville Andrean, Ind.

“We’ve done a nice job this season of finding different ways to get our very talented skill guys out on the field and involved,” Konecki said. “The second season is coming. We’ve been tested during the season and now we just want to stay healthy and make sure the kids are on point.”

Kankakee (7-2, 5-1), which lost to Fenwick in the Class 5A state title game, has had an odd season. The Kays lost to Nazareth 2-0 in Week 1 and then weren’t challenged again until Week 9.

There is a ton of talent on the roster, including highly-regarded senior Jyaire Hill, one of the state’s top recruits, and running back Tony Phillips. Hill caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Larenz Tate in the second quarter.

Phillips had five carries for 64 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“Penalties killed us,” Kankakee coach Derek Hart said. “There is a lot of stuff we need to fix still. But that’s probably one of the best teams we will see. I love where we are at but we have a lot of work to do to get ready for next week.

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As soon as Crete-Monee senior Lynel Billups-Williams caught the punt, a coach on the Kankakee sideline said “that’s a touchdown.”

A few seconds later, after a burst down the sideline and then across the field and into the endzone, Billups-Williams had gone 60 yards to put the Warriors ahead for good.

“I felt it too,” Billups-Williams said. “Everyone was screaming ‘poison’ at me and wanted me to get away from the ball but I knew I had it. There was so much space and opportunity.”

The No. 14 Warriors needed several of those big plays to beat No. 19 Kankakee 25-22.

Billups-Williams was all over the field. He caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from junior Cory Stennis early in the third quarter. It was a dynamic run after the catch, full of broken tackles and quick dodges. He also had a crucial sack in the fourth quarter.

“We lost to them last year and that’s been on all of our minds for a long time,” Billups-Williams said. “We had the fight to win this game and everyone contributed.”

Stennis ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run with 9:24 left to put Crete-Monee ahead 25-14. That proved crucial when Kankakee drove down and scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Larenz Walters to Karson King with 10 seconds to play.

Crete-Monee recovered the onside kick to seal the win.

“The collective effort by our defense was outstanding, “Crete-Monee coach John Konecki said. “And the kids were resilient for 48 minutes. That’s been one of the strong points of this team all year long. They never quit.”

Stennis was 9-for-14 passing for 127 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He had 14 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Stennis transferred from Rich and had emergence has allowed do-it-all star Joshua Franklin the luxury of doing a little less this season. Franklin had four catches for 39 yards and was a major factor in the defensive backfield as well.

“We have so many more threats this season,” Franklin said. “That’s going to be a huge factor for us in the playoffs.”

Tyrell Hester had 14 carries for 81 yards for the Warriors (7-2, 6-0 Southland), who clinched the conference title with the win. Crete-Monee is a contender for the Class 6A state title. The Warriors losses were to Lincoln-Way East and Merrillville Andrean, Ind.

“We’ve done a nice job this season of finding different ways to get our very talented skill guys out on the field and involved,” Konecki said. “The second season is coming. We’ve been tested during the season and now we just want to stay healthy and make sure the kids are on point.”

Kankakee (7-2, 5-1), which lost to Fenwick in the Class 5A state title game, has had an odd season. The Kays lost to Nazareth 2-0 in Week 1 and then weren’t challenged again until Week 9.

There is a ton of talent on the roster, including highly-regarded senior Jyaire Hill, one of the state’s top recruits, and running back Tony Phillips. Hill caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Larenz Tate in the second quarter.

Phillips had five carries for 64 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“Penalties killed us,” Kankakee coach Derek Hart said. “There is a lot of stuff we need to fix still. But that’s probably one of the best teams we will see. I love where we are at but we have a lot of work to do to get ready for next week.

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WASHINGTON – It was quite the debut for the Bulls’ Zach LaVine.

The two-time All-Star showed off his ball-handling, the improvements he’s made in the pick-and-roll game, and his ability to be an aggressive cutter.

Unfortunately, it came against the organization’s player development staff and guys that shoot video for the team rather than actual NBA players, and it occurred at Georgetown University on Thursday rather than the Wizards’ Capital One Arena on Friday, but with a tricky left knee situation like the one LaVine is dealing with beggars can’t be choosers.

LaVine missed his second consecutive game of the road trip, as the team’s medical staff and LaVine’s camp made the decision to have his first game of the 2022-23 campaign come at the United Center on Saturday, as the Bulls host the Cavaliers.

As far as how this will be navigated moving forward, that remains the unknown for everyone involved.

Besides this current back-to-back, there are three more coming up on the schedule by Nov. 7. The way Donovan explained it, it’s very unlikely that LaVine would be off this knee management schedule by then.

“It’s hard just to go in and say, ‘OK, here’s the schedule, and here’s the games that we’re going to rest him or manage him when he’s feeling great.’ ” Donovan said. “You know if he’s feeling great he’s obviously going to want to play, but I also think we need to be smart and this is more the medical and doctors, those guys looking at, ‘OK, sometimes it’s not in that moment, it’s a cumulative effect of something happening later on.’

“There may be some times where he does feel OK and the doctors, our medical group, says, ‘OK, this is the game to rest and get yourself back.’ So I can’t tell you I’ve looked at the schedule and here are the games we know [he’ll sit].”

What no one could answer – including LaVine – was has this become the guard’s new normal at this stage in his career? He had the clean-up surgery in the spring, got his five-year, $215-million free agent contract in July, and as late as Wednesday, there was no indication of the knee being an issue.

LaVine did speak to the media about it, but was very vague on what he was actually experiencing or if this would be a long-term solution every year to make sure he’s ready for possible postseason play.

Donovan wasn’t about to deal with the bigger picture, either.

What Donovan knew was they have an upcoming back-to-back with the Spurs and 76ers, then one in Brooklyn and home against Charlotte, and then a home-and-home against Toronto.

Each one could be handled differently and warrant its own sit-down discussion.

“I think a lot of that is going to depend on what does the front-end look like and what does the back-end look like,” Donovan said. “There’s no minute restriction on him, but clearly the more load there is on him you’ll have to take a look at him. There’s nothing going into the game where they are saying ‘Listen, we’ve got to keep his minutes right here.’ Certainly him playing 40 minutes or 39 or 38 isn’t the best thing.”

Eye opener

The Bulls will be as close to whole as possible when they make their home debut against the Cavs on Saturday. Cleveland, however, won’t be able to say the same.

All-Star guard Darius Garland was poked in the eye during the loss to the Raptors, and while there was no structural damage, he was ruled out for the game in Chicago.

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White Sox fans fear White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s history could come into play again. Could it?

Now, you’re probably asking, “what is ‘Reinsdorfing’?” According to the dictionary that I just made up just like the word, “Reinsdorfing” is defined as:

Adjective: When an organization commits a blunder based on an authority figure’s personal feelings, and/or whether the figure wants to spend the money. “Reinsdorfing” can also be used as a verb, ie, “The team organization Reinsdorfed this year”.

You can’t blame Chicago White Sox fans for being nervous. We all know the White Sox and Tony La Russa parted ways after a disappointing 2022 season that saw the Sox finish second in the American League Central with an 81-81 record. General Manager Rick Hahn immediately got to work searching for managerial candidates and assured Sox Nation that he was in charge of the search after owner Jerry Reinsdorf went over Hahn’s head to hire La Russa.

Jerry Reinsdorf is famously (or infamously) loyal to those who have done well for him. And he has a reputation for being cheap. You can see where Sox fans are coming from.

Laurence Holmes of 670 The Score said it best in a column he published in the Chicago Sun-Times:

Jerry Reinsdorf’s unilateral decision strained the credibility for his front office, whose power he had effectively usurped. It was a breach of the public trust with the fan base. Sox fans have every right to exact their revenge by keeping their money in their pocket for a while. The Sox are now on a “prove it” deal with the South Side.

More recently, Scott Merkin posted this unprompted Tweet, which got the aptly-named “White Sox Twitter” in a buzz:

Occam’s razor of course, suggests this is just Merkin’s personal opinion, and not an indication that Reinsdorf had gotten involved in the search process again. But after the infamous La Russa hire, White Sox fans are, well, a little paranoid. Again, can’t blame them. But we can also apply Hanlon’s razor to the La Russa hire, as well. Jerry wanted La Russa to have another chance managing the White Sox, thinking he, with his experience and tactical knowledge, would give the Sox the edge.

Just look at how that turned out.

The point is, Merkin’s tweet spooked some Sox fans who thought that Reinsdorf could get involved in the hiring process after Hahn indicated he won’t be.

Jerry Reinsdorf has a history of Reinsdorfing, hence the term named after him. From keeping John Paxson and Gar Forman on too long as the President and General Manager of the Chicago Bulls, to the aforementioned hiring of La Russa, to the White Sox failure to sign Manny Machado and Bryce Harper after the Sox were linked to the two.

White Sox fans do have plenty of reasons to be suspicious, whether it’s a warranted or not. Point is, they’ve been there before. While it doesn’t seem to be the case at this time, (Early reports suggest the White Sox are closing in on Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada) reports that Ozzie Guillen will also be interviewed likely won’t quell any fears.

But will Jerry Reinsdorf screw up the hiring process. I certainly hope not! I don’t know if he will, but I understand that he could. It is safe to say that Jerry does want to win, but again, applying Occam’s and Hanlon’s razor, he might think that he can still win a championship his way, even though it’s been proven over and over again, that it doesn’t. Sox fans can only watch and see what happens. If reports about Espada are true, then Sox fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

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Regardless of how ugly the game against the Commanders was, the Bears had what they thought was a perfect scenario to win it in the final minute: Darnell Mooney, open at the goal line, ball in his hands.

That’s the surest of sure things in an otherwise shaky offense.

Mooney, however, bobbled it in the air and couldn’t secure it before cornerback Benjamin St. Juste brought him down inches short of the end zone.

Mooney couldn’t estimate how many times he watched the video in disbelief over the next few days. And he replayed it even more in his mind.

“I’d be doing something with my family and be like, ‘Yo, what the hell? That’s me. I can catch that. What the hell?'” he told the Sun-Times on Friday. “I’ve gotta make that catch regardless of if there’s 10 people there or nobody there. To be that player I want to be, regardless of what anybody else thinks, I’ve gotta make that one.”

That last part is the real point.

Mooney aspires to be a true No. 1 wide receiver, and the Bears desperately need him to get there given that he’s their most accomplished player at the position by a wide margin. They can’t afford to let defenses take him away with scheme. Their passing game will not function without him, and so far it hasn’t.

As the Bears and quarterback Justin Fields sit near the bottom of the NFL in most passing categories and rank second-to-last in scoring at 15.5 points per game heading into their visit to the Patriots on Monday, Mooney’s numbers are either a symptom or a cause. He has followed up a 1,000-yard season with just 17 catches for 241 yards and no touchdowns over the first six games.

It’s difficult to produce in the NFL’s most unproductive passing attack — the Bears have thrown the fewest passes thanks to their sack-prone offensive line and run-heavy play calling by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy — but Mooney is supposed to be good enough to change that and elevate Fields by always being in the right spot and always being open.

“My expectation is to get open regardless,” Mooney said. “Everybody says, ‘They get paid, too,’ so they’re gonna win sometimes. I understand that, but I [need to] win every time. My expectation for myself is extremely high, and I’m gonna make sure whether it’s a double team, triple team, all 11, I’m gonna get open.”

That’s what the elite receivers do. Mooney doesn’t obsess over statistics, but he’s attentive to his standing compared to the greats at his position. The best receivers get numbers, and those numbers factor into the outcome of games. They’re also weighty when it comes to a contract extension, which is on the table for Mooney after the season.

Mooney believes he’s performing well play-to-play, and that his production simply isn’t matching up with that yet. Getsy agreed, saying Mooney has executed his role well as a pass catcher and in run blocking, which isn’t easy at 5-foot-11, 173 pounds.

“He cracks some defensive ends, cracks some linebackers,” wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said of Mooney’s blocking.

There are signs Getsy is shifting the game plan more toward Mooney. Given how short the roster is on proven playmakers, that should’ve happened earlier considering he’s one of the top handful of players in the building amid the rebuild.

After getting just 21 targets over the first five games, Mooney got 12 against the Commanders and turned it into seven catches for 68 yards.

“We’re figuring out what we do well, and he’s a big part of that,” Getsy said.

He added, “He’s been playing better each week… His mentality has been great, he’s been a really good leader for this football team, so I definitely see him as an ascending guy.”

Bears coaches would paint an optimistic picture about virtually anybody on the roster, but Mooney is one of the few who has a history that suggests it’s merited. On a young team, not many players even have a track record.

Mooney has been rising since the Bears drafted him in the fifth round out of Tulane in 2020. He climbed the depth chart immediately, overtaking former prized pick Anthony Miller in training camp, and constantly improved. He’s fast, of course, but has flourished in large part because he’s smart and reliable.

Those qualities haven’t changed, and because of that, there is good reason to believe Mooney can straighten out his season after such a slow start.

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Bill Belichick eats young quarterbacks for breakfast.

In his 22 years as the Patriots head coach — during which he became an icon of the sport — Belichick has faced a first- or second-year starting quarterback 88 times. He’s 70-18.

About a third of the time, those quarterbacks threw two or more interceptions in the game. Almost two-thirds of the time, they had passer ratings under 80.

Only two quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Mark Sanchez, beat Belichick more than once during their first two years in the league.

Look away, Justin Fields.

It’s no shock that Belichick, one of the great defensive minds of his or any era, has dominated young quarterbacks. The six-time Super Bowl champion usually had better players than opponents who were so early in their rebuild that they felt the need to start a rookie.

More impressive than the talent gap, though, is the approach Belichick uses to baffle young quarterbacks. Belichick has specific sub packages for any occasion.

Per Pro Football Focus, the Patriots were in base defense 5 percent of the time in 2020. Last year, only two teams ran a base defense less often than the Patriots, who were in it only 11 percent of the time. In 2021, they used dime defense about a quarter of the time and nickel on two-thirds of their downs, adding extra defensive backs and predominantly playing man defense.

Through six games this season, the Patriots have run nickel 71.4 percent of the time, dime 18 percent and base defense about 10 percent, per TruMedia.

“They get real specific with putting the people in the game that they feel do the task the best,” Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “So … you’re going to get a certain type of guys on the field on run downs. And if it’s an obvious passing down you’re getting certain guys on the field. So you’re getting their better personnel.”

That’s a challenge for Fields — and for Getsy, who is in his first year as an offensive coordinator. He’s about to play a chess match with a grandmaster.

The matchup has already begun. Bears coaches and players have been preparing for the different specialized packages the Patriots run. Getsy gave an example: if the Bears are in “21 personnel” –with two running backs and one tight end on the field — there might be three different sets of defensive personnel the Patriots could run onto the field. The Bears have to prepare for all three, and make their play calls — or audibles — in real time, based on where they think they have an advantage.

“That’s more work for you during the week as far as getting the guys prepared,” Getsy said.

Fields, more than anyone, has to be ready. At the line of scrimmage, he needs to know what he’s looking at — and what to change.

“It all depends on the play,” quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko said. “It all depends on the situation, the scenario that we’re in at that time. We ask him to identify some things. We also try to give him as much information as possible when the personnel changes do happen.”

Lucas Patrick has spent all week studying. If he moves from left guard to center, as expected, he would be responsible for quarterbacking the offensive line and making blocking calls at the line of scrimmage.

The biggest part of preparation, he said, was understanding which Patriots personnel grouping he expects to be on the field in certain situations.

“[Belichick] is very good at making things seem different –but they’re really the same,” Patrick said. “It’s a very complex defense and personnel usage that he has in where guys play. But you have to understand what each player might be trying to do in that defense and attack him that way.

“All weeks you need to study, but this is a week you really have to understand numbers, personnel. What is typically their base position? But they can flex a bunch of guys in different positions. It’s really studying personnel and understanding which package is out there for defense.”

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