The Chicago Bulls’ decision to select Patrick Williams fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft has become a lightning rod for criticism, labeled by Bleacher Report’s Matt Velazquez as the franchise’s worst pick in a decade. While Williams has carved out a solid role, the choice to pass on Tyrese Haliburton, who slipped to 12th and emerged as a do-it-all superstar, stings deeply. As the Bulls languish in mediocrity, with a 41-41 record and a first-round playoff exit in 2024-25, fans on X are revisiting this draft miss, debating whether it derailed Chicago’s rebuild. This analysis dissects the Williams-Haliburton decision, its impact on the Bulls’ trajectory, and what it reveals about the franchise’s struggles to escape the NBA’s middle ground.
The 2020 Draft Context: High Stakes at No. 4
The 2020 NBA Draft, held virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic, was a high-stakes affair for the Chicago Bulls, who held the fourth overall pick after a 22-43 season. With Zach LaVine as their cornerstone, Chicago needed a transformative talent to accelerate their rebuild. The draft class boasted Anthony Edwards (No. 1, Minnesota), LaMelo Ball (No. 3, Charlotte), and James Wiseman (No. 2, Golden State), but by the fourth pick, Edwards and Ball were off the board. Tyrese Haliburton, a 6’5” point guard from Iowa State, was available, projected as a top-10 talent for his playmaking and shooting. Instead, the Bulls opted for Patrick Williams, a 6’7” forward from Florida State, valued for his defensive versatility and athleticism.
Williams, then 19, was a raw prospect with one college season (9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 43.0% FG). His two-way potential intrigued GM Marc Eversley and VP Artūras Karnišovas, who prioritized long-term upside over immediate impact. Haliburton, meanwhile, averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.5 steals in college, showcasing elite court vision. Bleacher Report’s Matt Velazquez notes, “Picking fourth is usually where teams look for potential stars,” and while Williams has been “decent,” his ceiling falls short of the expectations tied to a top-five selection. X posts from June 2025, like “Haliburton at 4 would’ve changed everything!” reflect fan frustration over a missed opportunity.
Patrick Williams: Solid but Not Stellar
Since being drafted, Patrick Williams has been a reliable role player for the Bulls, starting 224 of 267 games through 2024-25. In his fifth season, he averaged 11.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, shooting 44.8% from the field and 41.2% from three (per Basketball-Reference). His defensive versatility—guarding wings like Jayson Tatum and bigs like Joel Embiid—earned praise, with a 1.2 defensive box plus-minus in 2024-25. On February 5, 2025, against Minnesota, Williams held Jaden McDaniels to 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting, showcasing his lockdown potential.
Yet, Williams’ offensive limitations cap his impact. His 1.7 assists per game and 15.6% usage rate reflect a passive approach, lacking the playmaking or scoring punch of a star. Velazquez argues, “If Williams had been a mid- to late-first-round pick, his impact would represent good value.” At No. 4, however, he’s compared to peers like Edwards (27.1 points, 2024-25) and Ball (23.9 points), exposing a gap. Williams’ $90 million, five-year extension in 2024 ties him to Chicago through 2029, but his seventh- or eighth-best status in the 2020 class—behind Edwards, Haliburton, Ball, and others like Desmond Bane (No. 30)—makes the pick underwhelming.
Tyrese Haliburton: The Star Chicago Missed
Tyrese Haliburton, selected 12th by Sacramento, has blossomed into one of the NBA’s premier playmakers, validating critics of Chicago’s decision. Traded to Indiana in 2022, Haliburton earned two All-Star nods (2023, 2024) and All-NBA Third Team honors in 2024. In 2024-25, he averaged 20.7 points, 10.9 assists (league-leading), and 1.2 steals, shooting 47.7% FG and 36.4% from three, guiding the Pacers to a 47-35 record and an Eastern Conference Finals run. His 8.7 assists per 36 minutes rank among the NBA’s elite, per StatMuse.
Haliburton’s fit with Chicago would have been transformative. Paired with LaVine (25.6 points in 2024-25) and DeMar DeRozan (before his 2024 trade to Sacramento), Haliburton’s playmaking could have elevated Chicago’s 22nd-ranked offense (111.8 points per 100 possessions). His 2.1 steal-to-turnover ratio and 12.4% assist percentage address the Bulls’ need for a floor general, unlike Coby White’s score-first style (17.5 points, 4.3 assists). Velazquez laments, “Haliburton was there for the taking,” noting his slide to 12th was “inexplicable” given pre-draft hype. X fans echo this, with posts like “We’d be contenders with Tyrese!” imagining a brighter alternate timeline.
Why Chicago Chose Williams: A Conservative Gamble
The Bulls’ decision to draft Williams over Haliburton stemmed from their risk-averse approach under Karnišovas, who replaced John Paxson in April 2020. Chicago prioritized Williams’ defensive upside and physical tools (6’7”, 225 lbs, 6’11” wingspan) over Haliburton’s unproven athleticism and thinner frame (6’5”, 185 lbs). Pre-draft concerns about Haliburton’s lateral quickness and finishing (48.2% at the rim in college) may have spooked the Bulls, who valued Williams’ ability to guard multiple positions in Billy Donovan’s switch-heavy scheme.
Chicago’s front office also bet on Williams’ offensive growth, projecting him as a two-way wing like Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. However, Williams’ development stalled, with his 1.5 points per game improvement from 2020-21 (10.3) to 2024-25 (11.8) lagging behind Haliburton’s leap from 13.0 to 20.7. The Bulls’ “mired-in-mediocrity” culture, as Velazquez calls it, reflects a reluctance to swing for stars, favoring safe picks over high-upside gambles. This contrasts with Sacramento’s bold Haliburton selection, despite De’Aaron Fox’s presence, and Minnesota’s faith in Edwards. The Bulls’ caution, while defensible, cost them a franchise-altering talent.
Impact on Chicago’s Trajectory: A Missed Opportunity
The Williams pick has left the Bulls stuck in the NBA’s no-man’s-land. Their 41-41 record in 2024-25 secured a No. 8 seed, but a first-round loss to Cleveland exposed roster flaws: a 25th-ranked defense (114.7 defensive rating) and reliance on LaVine’s iso-heavy scoring. Williams’ solid but unspectacular play contrasts with Haliburton’s ability to orchestrate an offense, as seen in Indiana’s 119.3 offensive rating (4th in 2024-25). A Haliburton-led Bulls team could have attracted free agents or retained DeRozan, avoiding the 2024 trade that netted only a protected first-rounder.
Chicago’s rebuild, launched in 2020, has yielded mixed results. LaVine’s All-Star form and White’s emergence (All-Star 2025) are bright spots, but the roster lacks a true No. 1 option. Haliburton’s presence might have pushed the Bulls into the East’s top tier, alongside Orlando (50-32) and Cleveland (48-34). Instead, they face a 2025-26 season with modest expectations, projected as a 42-win team by ESPN. X posts, like “We’re stuck with Pat while Tyrese runs the East!” capture fan regret, amplified by Haliburton’s Pacers sweeping Chicago 4-0 in 2024-25.
Broader NBA Context: Draft Misses and High Expectations
The 2020 draft wasn’t Chicago’s alone in missing talent. Golden State’s selection of James Wiseman (No. 2) over Haliburton or Ball proved costly, with Wiseman traded in 2023 after 60 games. Yet, Chicago’s error stings more due to their No. 4 slot, where stars are expected. Historical Bulls picks, like Lauri Markkanen (No. 7, 2017) or Wendell Carter Jr. (No. 7, 2018), drew less scrutiny, as mid-lottery selections carry lower stakes. Velazquez’s “worst pick in a decade” label holds weight, surpassing the 2016 pick of Denzel Valentine (No. 14), who played 256 games.
The NBA’s draft landscape underscores the pressure on top picks. Recent No. 4 selections—Jalen Suggs (2021, Orlando), Scottie Barnes (2022, Toronto), Amen Thompson (2023, Houston)—show varied outcomes, but Barnes’ All-Star nod (2024) sets a benchmark Williams hasn’t met. Haliburton’s rise, alongside Edwards and Bane, makes 2020 a strong class, amplifying Chicago’s miss. On X, “#BullsDraftFail” trends when Haliburton shines, like his 30-point, 12-assist game against Chicago on January 15, 2025, fueling fan anguish.
Lessons for Chicago: Boldness Needed
The Williams-Haliburton saga highlights Chicago’s need for bolder draft strategy. Karnišovas’ conservative approach—evident in passing on Haliburton and later trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey in 2024—has kept the Bulls competitive but not elite. With $132 million committed to LaVine, White, and Williams in 2025-26, per Spotrac, cap flexibility is limited, making the draft critical. Chicago’s 2026 first-round pick offers a chance to swing for a star like Cooper Flagg or Ace Bailey, but they must avoid another safe pick.
The Bulls’ front office faces pressure to redefine their vision. Trading LaVine, whose $46 million salary strains the cap, could net assets to pair with White (26, 4.3 assists) and Giddey (22, 6.8 assists). Williams’ role as a 3-and-D wing remains valuable, but his ceiling suggests a complementary piece, not a cornerstone. Haliburton’s success elsewhere—leading Indiana to 47 wins—shows what Chicago missed: a playmaker to unlock their offense and culture. The East’s openness, with injuries to stars like Jayson Tatum, offers a playoff path, but Chicago needs a spark to escape mediocrity.
The Chicago Bulls’ 2020 decision to draft Patrick Williams over Tyrese Haliburton, labeled their worst pick in a decade, remains a painful what-if for fans. Williams’ solid contributions pale against Haliburton’s All-Star brilliance, exposing Chicago’s risk-averse draft strategy and perpetuating their middle-of-the-pack fate. As the Bulls eye 2025-26, they must learn from this miss, embracing boldness to find a franchise star. Would Haliburton have transformed Chicago, or is Williams’ steady play unfairly judged?