When asked to describe what it was like working with Patrick Williams during the NBA Summer League, Chicago Bulls assistant coach Damian Cotter offered his form of high praise.
“As we say back home, Pat’s a good bloke,” Cotter said.
The description caused a double take among reporters in the room during Cotter’s news conference last week in Las Vegas, just like some of his phrases have at times during film and practice sessions during Summer League.
It’s not until Cotter — who is from Melbourne, Australia, and was the team’s head coach at the start of Summer League — notices the blank stares around the room that he realizes he needs to add some clarity.
“He dropped a couple phrases,” guard Jaylen Adams said. “He threw the ‘bloke’ out there. He said something like ‘fair dinkum.’ “
“Sometimes in film, sometimes in practice, but really all the time,” guard Ethan Thompson said with a laugh. “If he catches himself using one of (those) terms, he’ll clarify and ask around if we know what he’s talking about.”
That’s “fair dinkum,” which, as Cotter explains, means a person is being authentic.
He’ll tell the Bulls they need to be more “cagey” on offense.
“Yeah, he says some head-scratchers at times,” guard Devon Dotson said, shaking his head and smiling. “You don’t know what he’s saying.”
Before joining the Bulls as head coach of the G League’s Windy City Bulls in 2019-20, Cotter rose through the coaching ranks in Australia. He started coaching in 1999 and eventually landed with the Australian national development team. He became head coach of the Sydney Kings in Australia’s National Basketball League for the 2014-15 season.
The Brooklyn Nets hired him as an assistant with their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, in 2017-18, his last stop before joining the Bulls. Last season, Cotter became an assistant on coach Billy Donovan’s staff.
So he had experience working with Williams, who said Cotter constantly reminds him to “back yourself.”
“He uses that a lot with us and with me especially,” Williams said. “Back yourself just means have confidence in what you do. Nobody has to believe in you, just believe in yourself.
“It’s always good to build a relationship with somebody not from the U.S. to see how interesting it is and how different it is, honestly. He’s a good coach, player-first and asking us guys what we see out there before he draws up a play or before he talks.”
Cotter coached the Bulls’ first three Summer League games before Henry Domercant, one of the team’s player-development coordinators, finished the final two as head coach. The Bulls said they wanted to give Domercant, who had been on Cotter’s staff, an opportunity.
Williams expressed a familiar refrain among the players. They had fun with Cotter’s quirky catchphrases, but they seemed to enjoy their experience playing under him this summer.
“He’s a great dude to be around, funny guy,” Thompson said. “And he knows what he’s talking about for sure.”
Cotter also was helpful in drawing on his experience to guide forward Marko Simonovic — a 2020 second-round pick who will join the Bulls roster from Serbia — with his adjustment to life in the U.S. and playing professional basketball here.
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Cotter isn’t the first member of the Bulls organization with Australian ties. Luc Longley played center for the Bulls for five seasons and was a starter on the second three-peat teams.
“Ah, yes,” Cotter said. “Luc’s a fair dinkum bloke.”
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