If Billy Donovan needs a fan club president, the Chicago Bulls’ coach might want to consider nominating Patrick Beverley.
The newest Bull gushed about Donovan from his first public comments onward Wednesday, often in unsolicited fashion following his first practice with his hometown team.
“Billy is an energetic coach. He got a lot of (expletive) I didn’t know,” Beverley said. “When it comes to Xs and Os, he’s very detailed.”
Beverley was just getting warmed up.
“Like I said, Billy D, that’s my guy man,” he said. “It was crazy. I was a freshman in college (at Arkansas) and he was at Florida and I was playing against him. I’m very fortunate to be able to play up under him.
“We know some of the same people, same friends. Coach (John) Pelphrey, one of my old coaches, a guy that was on Billy’s coaching staff. I see Billy in the summer. It’s always, ‘I love what you’re doing with the city, Billy.’ And I’m just fortunate to get a chance to play up under him. I’m excited.”
So is Donovan.
“The one thing that was great in talking to him is I think he's a winning guy,” Donovan said. “He's highly competitive.
“Anytime you can get a player of his competitiveness and the attitude to do whatever he can do to impact the team and impact winning is great. You hope that a guy like him coming in gives a boost to our team. That's what he's always been.”
Donovan said he isn’t sure yet if Beverley will start or come off the bench, only that there’s definitely a role for him.
“He's been an elite defender and an elite competitor,” Donovan said. “I think if you look at his career, he's continued to improve his shooting. He's shot the ball better and better throughout his career. He's taken on all sorts of very difficult defensive assignments. I think he understands and knows the personnel in this league very well.
“I think for some of our young guys, even on the perimeter, guys like Ayo (Dosunmu) and even Patrick (Williams) or Coby (White) that are earlier in their careers, I think he can give them a lot of good tips and clues in terms of guarding different people. I think there's a lot of things he can bring to the table besides what he does in between the lines. I think he can also be a good vocal voice in the locker room and for our group.”