DeMar DeRozan wasn’t the only Bull to hit a “milestone” in Monday’s win over the Hawks.

Not to be outdone by DeRozan playing in his 1,000th regular-season game, third-year forward Patrick Williams registered his first double-digit rebound game of the season.

Go ahead and cue that loud underwhelming thud of embarrassment.

With the term milestone being used lightly for Williams’ accomplishment, it shouldn’t have taken Game No. 46 of the season for him to reach the 10-rebound mark. Not at 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, and as explosive as he’s shown he can be around the rim.

Then again, Williams continued moving forward at a pace that many haven’t been real comfortable with since being selected No. 4 overall in the 2020 draft.

What mattered to the Bulls, however, was he was at least moving forward.

“You’ve gotta feel him on the backboard,” coach Billy Donovan said of the expectations for Williams. “He’s got great explosiveness off the floor, and he doesn’t need a big gather or long run to jump. He’s explosive off two feet. When he makes those efforts to get on the backboard, he’s an elite rebounder. And we need him to do that.”

Considering Williams entered Tuesday’s game with the Pacers behind both DeRozan and Zach LaVine in rebounding, sitting fifth at 4.3 per game, yes, they certainly need him to do that.

And the hope is that this time Williams hears the message loud and clear, and puts it into action.

“I agree with him in terms of I need to be more consistent getting rebounds,” Williams said of his coach’s assessment. “I think we’re really good when any of our wings or guards rebound. We can get out [in transition] quicker.

“I definitely put that on myself.”

In case he doesn’t, DeRozan promised he would continue staying in Williams’ ear.

“One of the most versatile players on this team,” DeRozan said of Williams’ talent. “Once he gets comfortable and realizes what he’s doing now it’s going to help us even more.

“I think you all don’t see how much I get on his nerves. I really get on his nerves. Like, really get on his nerves. If he plays bad or doesn’t compete like the way I know he can compete, it’s verbal abuse.”

Turnaround

Donovan continued praising the defensive improvements of backup guard Coby White on Tuesday, and said it started with White’s willingness to play with physicality.

“Overall, he’s done a good job of going vertical, keeping his hands back in a way,” Donovan said. “I just think his physicality has probably been the biggest thing, at the point of screens, getting over screens or under screens, containing the ball. I feel like from last year to this year, he’s made some significant progress.”

Will that be enough for the Bulls to match any possible offers this summer for the soon-to-be restricted free agent? That was for another day. What Donovan cared about was White knowing what he had to work on.

“He’s a bright player,” Donovan said. “[Improved defense] was something we needed from all of our guys, not just Coby. But it was an area that he just knew [he needed to improve].”

Dragic update

Veteran guard Goran Dragic missed the game in Indiana with a non-Covid illness, but the expectations were that he could join the team in Charlotte in time for Thursday’s game against the Hornets.

According to Donovan, Dragic was feeling better, and if he continued on that track would jump a flight to meet the team as early as Wednesday.

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Eloy Jimenez is one of the most likable ambassadors the White Sox have. He’s blessed with a charisma that is completely natural. His swag stays on high. There is thunder in his bat, and his smile lights up a room. He’s also one of the most confounding players on the roster.

The 26-year-old spoke with reporters Monday on Zoom, and some of his answers were a window into the problems the Sox have.

After the team signed Andrew Benintendi to a long-term deal, it was clear left field was closed for Jimenez. That realization was a sigh of relief for Sox fans. The reason: Jimenez has hurt himself multiple times playing left field — and in the most absurd ways.

A baserunning injury landed Jimenez on the sideline for a big portion of last season. He tore a hamstring tendon that required surgery. Jimenez worked hard to rejoin his teammates and played 84 games. For most of those games, he was the designated hitter. Jimenez slashed .274/.343/.500 for an .843 OPS as the DH, but he doesn’t want that to be his main job in 2023.

”Last year, when I was DH’ing more than [playing] the outfield, it was because I got surgery. And I understand that,” Jimenez said. ”But this year, I’ve been working really hard to play the outfield more than DH.”

To be fair, Jimenez’s offensive numbers as a left fielder were better (.340/.389/.515), but that doesn’t outweigh the added risk of him missing time with injuries. As it stands, he is the only hitter in the Sox’ lineup capable of hitting 40 home runs in a season. He’s an excellent hitter who only has scratched the surface of his potential. That potential keeps getting stunted because of injuries.

The Sox won’t say it out loud, but they know they have a better chance of winning if Jimenez is their primary DH — a role he clearly dislikes.

”So I don’t really think that I’m going to accept [DH’ing],” Jimenez said. ”If I’m working hard, I’m going to get better, and I want to play in the outfield.”

I understand Jimenez’s point. I even applaud his desire to be a well-rounded player. It’s admirable and at the same time myopic. The problem is, the Sox didn’t address right field this offseason. They’ll go to camp with rookie Oscar Colas getting a chance to win the job.

If I were Jimenez, it would rub me the wrong way, too, but here’s the thing: Right field is a tough position to play. Jimenez’s struggles weren’t limited to injuries. He hasn’t been a consistent defensive presence at arguably the easiest spot on the field. Switching him to right field would be a fool’s errand.

Jimenez was asked about the effect of Jose Abreu leaving for the Astros in free agency. Asked about who could pick up the leadership role in the clubhouse, Jimenez offered this:

”I don’t know,” he said. ”I don’t know. I don’t have the answer of that. If I tell you a name — I don’t think I’m going to tell you because it’s like that, so I’m not going to lie.”

This is disappointing on two fronts. Players such as Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito have shown they have strong leadership skills. The fact that it wasn’t top of mind is troubling. And this was an opportunity for Jimenez himself to step into the breach, and he didn’t.

But you know how he could reveal himself as a leader? Come to camp prepared to compete as an outfielder. There should be no issue with that. But if the time comes when general manager Rick Hahn and manager Pedro Grifol ask you to be the primary DH, accept it and dominate.

With Abreu gone, players returning from injury and question marks at second base and right field, Jimenez is the Sox’ one true run-producer. His bat means so much more than his glove.

In a year where the winning window is still ajar, the most prudent move for this power hitter is to sacrifice.

You can hear Laurence Holmes talk Chicago sports Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 670 The Score with Dan Bernstein.

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VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Blackhawks were nothing more than a sideshow Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

Instead, all eyes on all sides focused on the Canucks, with the Hawks just happening to be the opponent for Rick Tocchet’s first game as head coach.

The past couple years have been continuously messy in Vancouver, but the stew has now boiled over. The egregious mishandling of a drawn-out coaching change from Bruce Boudreau to Tocchet revealed a level of internal organizational dysfunction rarely, if ever, seen in the modern NHL.

Boudreau, beloved by fans and fairly successful throughout his long career, was given less than 14 months in the position to try to resurrect a team that his predecessor, Travis Green, had run aground over four years. That, in itself, reflected excessive impatience.

Far worse, though, was how Boudreau was treated in his final weeks. Tocchet’s imminent hiring had been well-known for a while, and Canucks hockey operations president Jim Rutherford even admitted in an absurd Jan. 16 news conference that he was “calling and talking” to outside coaching candidates.

All the while, Boudreau was abandoned in his post as a lame-duck coach. He teared up in multiple news conferences as the Canucks limped through decisive losses in his final games.

The turmoil has left the Canucks with broken spirits, serious questions about their internal structure and decision-making processes and little hope left that a once-promising rebuild will yield fruit.

The team entered Tuesday at 18-25-3, on pace to to miss the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years but not bad enough to enter the draft lottery with high odds. Their prospect pool ranks 28th in the NHL, per The Athletic. They’re well over the salary cap (using long-term injured reserve to stay compliant) and have seven contracts with two-plus years left at more than $4.7 million per year.

Elias Pettersson has plateaued below superstar status. J.T. Miller has struggled immediately after signing an extension. Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser might soon be traded. The past, present and future are all bleak.

None of this is Tocchet’s fault, of course. Hawks coach Luke Richardson — no longer the NHL’s shortest-tenured coach — endorsed Tocchet as a man who “coaches with passion,” and Tocchet has largely hit the right notes so far.

“You’re dealt the hand you’re dealt,” Tocchet said Tuesday. “The hand I’m dealt is [I need to fix] the process. It’s [about] the way we do things.”

Well-liked former Hawks goalie Collin Delia (who started Tuesday) and defenseman Riley Stillman (who was healthy-scratched) have been merely caught in the crossfire, too.

Instead, the scrutiny has narrowed focus onto the franchise’s upper-level management, among which Richardson, general manager Patrik Allvin and chairman Francesco Aquilini are the most public-facing characters.

Even Rogers Arena itself offers evidence of poor foresight. Summer renovations to the Canucks’ locker-room hallway cut off access from the visiting locker room to visiting coaches’ room, as teams earlier this season discovered. A shoddy, curtained-off miniature hallway within the main hallway provided that access Tuesday.

In a Dec. 25 column, the Sun-Times mentioned the Flyers, Sharks and Coyotes as teams that would probably agree to switch places with the Hawks if offered, despite how generally unenviable the Hawks’ current position is.

In hindsight, the Canucks also should have been named in that category. A reader email actually pointed that out at the time, and the events of the past month have made that very clear.

The Hawks’ recent past and present might also be bleak, but their future is much brighter, and the leadership group tasked with getting them there appears far more competent.

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Mike Clevinger, who came to the Chicago White Sox from the San Diego Padres, is under investigation by Major League Baseball.

He has been accused by Olivia Finestead, the mother of his 10-month-old child, of physical, verbal, and emotional abuse. The accusations include allegations that he choked her last summer and two weeks later he slapped her and threw used chewing tobacco on their child.

According to The Athletic, the White Sox became aware of the allegations after Clevinger signed with the team and the Sox deny being aware of the allegations before he signed.

The Sox put out this statement to The Athletic:

“Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox take any and all allegations very seriously, and the White Sox are completely supportive of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy shared by MLB and the MLBPA.

MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations. The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”

Mike Clevinger is being accused of domestic violence according to a report.

I believe Clevinger should be released by the White Sox as soon as possible if the allegations are true. Based on images circulating on social media that are too graphic to be shared here, the allegations appear credible.

Also, Clevinger’s representation doesn’t appear to be denying the allegations. I am all for letting investigations play out when the accused claims innocence but in this case, it appears Clevinger and his agent aren’t denying the claims.

His agent said this to The Athletic:

“We need to fairly and thoroughly protect our client and at the same time be respectful of the White Sox and MLB. We need time before responding.”

Clevinger appears to have abused his partner and child. He shouldn’t be playing baseball while the investigation is ongoing, and he definitely shouldn’t be playing baseball — for any team — if the allegations are true.

Playing professional sports is a privilege, not a right, and it’s earned. Some actions off the field cannot be condoned.

If there are union protections that keep him from being cut right away, that’s understandable, but otherwise, do not hesitate further. Do the right thing.

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White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is being investigated by Major League Baseball for allegations of domestic violence involving the mother of his 10-month-old daughter as well as child abuse.

The Sox, who signed Clevinger to a one-year contract in December, acknowledged the investigation into allegations from Olivia Finestead, 24, who provided MLB with details of incidents involving physical, verbal and emotional abuse. Finestead has been in contact with MLB since last summer.

Finestead said Clevinger choked her and later slapped her in a hotel room. She also said Clevinger threw used chewing tobacco on their child.

Clevinger, 32, who pitched for the Padres last summer, was signed by the Sox as a free agent during the offseason.

“Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox take any and all allegations very seriously, and the White Sox are completely supportive of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy shared by MLB and the MLBPA,” the White Sox said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations. The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”

MLB has authority to issue discipline regardless whether a player faces charges or conviction.

The Sox do not have a sense of timing as to when the investigation will be concluded. A social media post from Finestead Tuesday said Clevinger “threw an iPad at me pregnant” and that “he strangled me.”

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Joliet West’s Jeremy Fears Jr. has been selected to play in the the prestigious McDonald’s All-American game.

The senior is the first Illinois player selected since Max Christie in 2021.

The last Chicago-area player to play in the games was Stevenson’s Jalen Brunson in 2015. Young’s DJ Steward was selected in 2020, but the games weren’t actually held due to COVID.

“It’s like he got the best of both worlds,” Jeremy Fears Sr. said. “He came home and got the opportunity to play with his brother and in his hometown and also managed to get the big time honor. People don’t forget this. It’s forever.”

Fears played at Joliet West as a freshman and then transferred to La Lumiere, a prep school in Indiana, when his sophomore season was delayed due to COVID. He achieved national prominence at La Lumiere, which plays on ESPN regularly.

Fears, who signed with Michigan State in November, won two gold medals playing with USA teams in the summer. He’s the highest-ranked player in the state, currently checking in at No. 20 on ESPN. It’s been nearly 30 years since a Joliet player reached those heights.

Michael Thompson, a Joliet native that attended Providence, was a McDonald’s All-American in 2002. He played at Duke.

Hinsdale native Matas Buzelis, who plays at Brewster Academy in NH, was also selected to play in this year’s game.

The McDonald’s All-American game, which was hosted in Chicago for many years recently, including last year at Wintrust Arena, will take place on March 28 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Illinois McDonald’s All-Americans

Mark Aguirre, Westinghouse, 1978

Cliff Alexander, Curie, 2014

Eric Anderson, St. Francis de Sales, 1988

Nick Anderson, Simeon, 1986

Wayne Blackshear, Morgan Park, 2011

Jamie Brandon, King, 1990

Andre Brown, Leo, 2000

Dee Brown, Proviso East, 2002

Shannon Brown, Proviso East, 2003

Jalen Brunson, Stevenson, 2015

Max Christie, Rolling Meadows, 2021

Chris Collins, Glenbrook North, 1992

Sherron Collins, Crane, 2006

Brian Cook, Lincoln, 1999

Russell Cross, Manley, 1980

Deryl Cunningham, St. Joseph, 1987

Eddy Curry, Thornwood, 2001

Anthony Davis, Perspectives, 2011

Sean Dockery, Julian, 2002

Bruce Douglas, Quincy, 1982

Walter Downing, Providence, 1981

Michael Dunigan, Farragut, 2008

LaPhonso Ellis, East St. Louis Lincoln, 1988

Melvin Ely, Thornton, 1997

Jeremy Fears Jr., Joliet West, 2023

Ronnie Fields, Farragut, 1996

Bobby Frasor, Brother Rice, 2005

Kevin Garnett, Farragut, 1995

Marcus Griffin, Peoria Manual, 1997

Rashard Griffith, King, 1993

Teddy Grubbs, King, 1979

Lowell Hamilton, Providence-St. Mel, 1985

Phil Henderson, Crete-Monee, 1986

Bill Heppner, Crystal Lake, 1987

Ed Horton, Springfield Lanphier, 1985

Juwan Howard, Vocational, 1991

Richard Keene, Collinsville, 1992

Tom Kleinschmidt, Gordon Tech, 1991

Marcus Liberty, King, 1987

Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central, 2004

Corey Maggette, Fenwick, 1998

Roger McClendon, Champaign Centennial, 1984

Raymond McCoy, Bloom, 1979

Darius Miles, East St. Louis, 2000

Howard Nathan, Peoria Manual, 1991

Jahlil Okafor, Young, 2014

Jabari Parker, Simeon, 2013

Michael Payne, Quincy, 1981

Quentin Richardson, Young, 1998

Jereme Richmond, Waukegan, 2010

Glenn Rivers, Proviso East, 1980

Michael Robinson, Peoria Richwoods, 1996

Derrick Rose, Simeon, 2007

Jon Scheyer, Glenbrook North, 2006

Iman Shumpert, Oak Park, 2008

DJ Steward, Young, 2020

Barry Sumpter, Lovejoy, 1983

Daryl Thomas, St. Joseph, 1983

Deon Thomas, Simeon, 1989

Isiah Thomas, St. Joseph, 1979

Michael Thompson, Providence, 2002

Raymond Thompson, Argo, 1988

Tyler Ulis, Marian Catholic, 2014

Chuck Verderber, Lincoln, 1978

Antoine Walker, Mount Carmel, 1994

Frank Williams, Peoria Manual, 1998

Efrem Winters, King, 1982

Julian Wright, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2005

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Joe Henricksen and Michael O’Brien’s weekly discussion of high school basketball.

This episode begins with a look back at the When Sides Collide shootout and then we dive into a big listener mailbag full of questions.

The podcast is on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please subscribe.

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One year after posting the NFL’s worst record, the Bears will charge the same for season tickets in 2023 as they did in 2022. One problem, though: it will be for one fewer regular season game — and one more preseason contest — than last year.

The Bears sent a letter to season ticket holders on Tuesday morning saying that the price for seats this season will remain flat. The price per regular season ticket has gone up, though. The reason: the Bears will host eight regular-season games this season instead of nine in 2022.

The NFL’s 17-game schedule, which began in 2021, has left teams to toggle between eight and nine regular-season home games every other year. Teams that have only eight home games play two of their three preseason games at home. The season ticket package includes preseason tickets.

The Bears will play home games against the Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders and Cardinals in addition to their NFC North opponents.

The Bears set a March 17 deadline to renew.

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