In his first professional game in 2013, Sixers rookie Michael Carter-Williams had a debut for the ages. Against the then-defending champion Miami Heat, MCW had 22 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and an NBA rookie-debut record nine steals.
Carter-Williams still has that October night four years ago ranked high out of his professional accomplishments.
"Yeah that's high up, maybe besides getting drafted," he said.
Now a member of the Chicago Bulls, his third team in four seasons, Carter-Williams, a former NBA Rookie of the Year with the Sixers, has a different approach to his game.
"I think my game has matured," Carter-Williams said before his Bulls defeated the host Sixers, 102-90, on Thursday night to tie Indiana Pacers for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. "I think I'm more of a leader on the floor. I try to do all of the little things. I think my overall game has improved. I'm playing a different role, but I think my game has improved a lot."
The role he has now is backup point guard for the Bulls. Despite the improvements, he feels he's seen in his own game, Carter-Williams didn't have his strongest showing Thursday in his old stomping grounds, scoring only two points on 1-of-7 shooting. The fourth-year guard from Syracuse is now averaging 6.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season for Chicago.
When Carter-Williams checked in Thursday for the first time in the second quarter, he was greeted with boos from the fans. Seconds later, he scored on a layup for his only points of the game.
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Carter-Williams admitted that getting traded from the Sixers to the Bucks in February of 2015 was something that stuck with him for a while afterward.
"Yeah, I used to think about it a lot," he said. "I thought it was going to turn out [well], having some success here."
Despite the career changes, Carter-Williams has remained close to several former Sixers teammates.
"I talk to quite a few people," Carter-Williams said. "I still talk to Rob [Covington], talk to Nerlens [Noel], [Joel] Embiid."
While teammates and roles have changed, Carter-Williams' main focus here and now is helping the Bulls lock up a playoff spot.
"We need it," he said of Thursday's victory. "[Every game] is a little different, it's a little more at stake."