Bulls Draft Central 2002
"This is a dream come true," Williams said on draft night after the Bulls took him at No. 2.Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE/Getty Images |
Williams Thrilled to be a Bull
June 27 -- Chicago was officially introduced to Jay Williams, Roger Mason, Jr. and Lonny Baxter. The Bulls' three selections in the 2002 NBA Draft were at the United Center along with Coach Bill Cartwright and Jerry Krause to meet the media.
June 26 -- The Bulls selected Duke's All-America point guard Jay Williams with the second pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. Williams, regarded by some as the best player in the Draft, averaged 21.3 ppg and 5.3 apg as a junior and was the consensus National Collegiate Player of the Year.
"I'm excited to come to Chicago. When I first stepped foot in the city, I got nothing but a great vibe. I can't guarantee anything and I'm not Michael Jordan," Williams said. "But what I can guarantee is that I'm going to bring in a lot of hard work and a determination to always win. Losing is not something that has been part of my vocabulary. We look forward to causing a lot of trouble in the Eastern Conference this year."
The Bulls selected Virginia's Roger Mason, Jr., a 6-5, 200-pound guard, with the 31st pick. Mason averaged 18.6 ppg and earned Second Team All-ACC honors as junior.
With their final pick, 44th overall, the Bulls took Lonny Baxter, a 6-8 forward/center out of Maryland.
DRAFT CHATS:
Tyson Chandler talked about his draft memories and his goals for next season in a live chat on Wednesday. Two days earlier, Head Coach Bill Cartwright discussed the draft, Jay Williams, summer workouts and the Bulls' future.
"'The goal is to win the world title, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get it done,'' Williams stated on Thursday. ''I know my teammates and the organization feel the same way."
|
The consensus National Collegiate Player of the Year, Naismith Award winner, Wooden Award winner, Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year and NCAA National Champion... Jay Williams was all of these during his time at Duke and more. He was at the Berto Center on June 14 for a private workout with the Bulls and afterwards, he sat down with Bulls.com to discuss his workout, the chance of coming to Chicago, a surprise visit from Tyson Chandler and more.
Williams and other top draft prospects were in Chicago on June 8 as the Pre-Draft Camp came to an end. Hear what Williams had to say about playing for the Bulls, his leadership abilities, being compared to MJ and much more.
One-on-one with potential draftees:
2002 NBA Pre-Draft Camp (June 4-7)
With many of the high-profile early entry candidates for the 2002 NBA Draft opting to limit their play in June to individual workouts, college seniors had the opportunity to shine during the 2002 NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. Look back at the first day's games, click here for the second day's recaps and read about the camp's final day here.
MORE NEWS:
Other Headlines:
,%20escape('RA'),%20escape('/media/videowrappers/bulls_aud.gif'),%20escape('/media/audio_logoman.gif'),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''))){kind=link}
,%20escape('RA'),%20escape('/media/videowrappers/bulls_aud.gif'),%20escape('/media/audio_logoman.gif'),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''))){kind=link}
,%20escape('RM'),%20escape('/media/videowrappers/bulls_vid.gif'),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),false,%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(true))){kind=link}
,%20escape('RM'),%20escape('/media/videowrappers/bulls_vid.gif'),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),false,%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(''),%20escape(true))){kind=link}