It took a piece of chicken parmesan to remind Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan that Patrick Williams isn’t all that far from being a college kid.

Actually, it was two pieces of chicken parmesan — huge pieces, Donovan emphasized — plus a helping of pasta. Midway through Williams’ rookie season, Donovan watched aghast as the then-19-year-old shoveled the meal into his mouth barely an hour before a game.

“I was like, ‘Patrick, you cannot eat that,’” Donovan said.

For Williams, learning the importance of a balanced pregame meal was part of a growing process that’s still ongoing amid his second season with the Bulls.

Whether they’re 18 or 24, most rookies are hit with the same inexperienced confusion when they enter the NBA. Donovan said he felt it when he was drafted in 1987: “When I first came to the NBA, I’m like, ‘Where’s the airport?’”

But as Williams recovered from wrist surgery this season, caring for his body was the main area where the Bulls needed the power forward to mature — quickly.

“There’s absolutely zero foundation in terms of being a professional NBA athlete,” Donovan said. “Early on, it was a really valuable lesson that he learned that in order for the medical people or the strength coach or us as coaches to do good work in helping him, there has to be a level of communication.”

Williams’ inexperience extended to managing injuries. He said he was lucky to dodge major injuries throughout his youth career. Before last fall, his injury history was limited to jammed fingers and bad bruises that sidelined him for a few days at most.

So recovery was a brand-new aspect of the game for Williams when he sprained his left ankle in September during an optional practice. Despite receiving an initial recovery window of four to six weeks, Williams expedited his recovery to be ready for the season opener on Oct. 20.

The injury wasn’t fully healed. Williams still felt pain whenever he ran. He wasn’t playing like himself — too timid around the rim, too slow up and down the court. But every time the medical staff asked how his ankle felt, Williams gave the same answer: “It’s fine.”

“That was a lesson learned there,” said Williams, who then dislocated and tore ligaments in his left wrist in the Bulls’ fifth game on Oct. 28. “You’re responsible for what you put out there when you play.”

As a rookie, Williams questioned the importance of sitting for the medical staff each week to monitor his body. But after months of being sidelined with the ankle and wrist injuries, Williams said he learned the hard way that a healthy body is the only way to maintain success in the league.

That includes telling coaches about discomfort or pain — even if that comes with the risk of being sidelined again.

“He didn’t want to say anything to anybody,” Donovan said. “That’s part of his growth and maturity, but it’s not necessarily his fault. He just doesn’t know.”

Allowing time for that growth takes patience, however, which has been a challenge to sustain both for Williams and for Bulls fans.

After the Bulls selected Williams with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft, fans craved an immediate spark from the forward. Donovan still isn’t sure Williams is ready to reclaim his starting position — and not just because of his wrist injury.

Donovan had to pull Williams aside during halftime of last week’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers to coax him into shooting more. Williams responded almost immediately, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

But for Donovan, the necessity of those adjustments reflects Williams’ rawness.

“As much as people want to look at where he was picked and what he looks like physically, he’s still 20 years old,” Donovan said. “There’s a lot in front of him.”

A veteran presence in the locker room will be a key for Williams to learn how to preserve his body — especially from DeMar DeRozan, who is finding new peaks in his 13th season. DeRozan takes time each week to check in on Williams, even if that just means razzing the young forward about admitting to media that he picked up a fine for coming late to a shootaround.

Teammates noted Williams maturing during his five-month recovery, which he spent mostly focused on the mental side of his game. Translating that growth to the court has been a challenge, but Donovan said Williams is beginning to make the progress necessary to step into a larger role for the Bulls.

“I get a chance to be around him every single day,” Donovan said. “He’s trying to figure (things) out along the way, and I want to be able to put him in a position where he can be successful. I’ve got to keep on trusting him.”

()