UNC Basketball: The eruption of Coby White and his NBA draft stock

Mock Drafts & Draft Boards

ESPN, Mock Draft (Jonathan Givony & Mike Schmitz, March 19)
Pick: 11, Orlando Magic
Rationale: N/A

ESPN, Top 100 Big Board (ESPN Staff)
Rank: 10
Rationale: “A shot-maker by trade, White’s low release point was bothered by a host of defenders in a high-profile matchup against Duke. White is having a strong statistical season and has become a first-round favorite among some scouts, but he has his drawbacks. White was more of a catch-and-shoot guard at the high school level, and that’s really where he has found success this season, not yet showing that he is the most savvy pick-and-roll player. White’s splits are telling: He averages 14.9 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 turnovers on 53.5 true shooting against teams over .500 (17 games) and 17.7 points, 5.3 assists, 2.6 turnovers and a 68.9 true shooting percentage against teams under .500 (seven games).”

SBNation, Mock Draft (Ricky O’Donnell, March 6)
Pick: 16, Detroit Pistons
Rationale: “White is a 6’5 freshman who has shined taking over point guard duties for UNC. More of a scorer than a traditional floor general, White has been splashing threes (38 percent) and stockpiling buckets while also impressing with his facilitating ability with a 26 percent assist rate. Teams will want him to prove his defense.”

NBAdraft.net, Mock Draft (March 27)
Pick: 5, Atlanta Hawks
Rationale: N/A

NBA Draft Room, Mock Draft (Leader Johnson)
Pick: 7, Memphis Grizzlies
Rationale: “Coby White is nice as hell. He’s got sneaky handles kind of like Kyrie and is so lethal once he gets it going. White can score from three levels and has a natural feel for finding his shot.”

CBS Sports, Mock Draft (Kyle Boone, Feb. 22)
Pick: 11, Orlando Magic
Rationale: “Taking UNC frosh Coby White here is a huge swing. He’s going to be a mid-to-late first-rounder on some boards, but White’s imaginative offensive playmaking and scoring threat from anywhere on the court may earn him late buzz as a climber after he shows out at the NBA combine.”

CBS Sports, Mock Draft (Reid Forgrave, March 21)
Pick: 9, New Orleans Pelicans
Rationale: “Can he play point guard in the NBA? I don’t know, but I’m not sure if it really matters. The dude is a natural scorer who can make buckets all over the floor.”

Tankathon, Mock Draft (March 26)
Pick: 9, Washington Wizards
Rationale: N/A

Bleacher Report, Mock Draft (Jonathan Wasserman, March 22)
Pick: 6, Memphis Grizzlies
Rationale: Cites White’s size, range, off-ball shooting ability which helps roster flexibility.

FanSided’s Busting Brackets, Mock Draft (Brian Rauf, March 2)
Pick: 19, Boston Celtics
Rationale: “White is a lottery-level talent with star potential on the offensive end.”

FanSided’s The Step Back, Mock Draft (Brendon Kleen, March 14)
Pick: 26, Boston Celtics
Rationale: Mentions that this pick would merely be used as a trade chip. “Best player available.”

The Athletic, Mock Draft (Sam Vecenie, March 18)
Pick: 11, Orlando Magic
Rationale: “The Magic desperately need a long-term solution at point guard… That’s why White makes a lot of sense. He’s been terrific this season for North Carolina, developing his skills as a facilitator after being known for years as a scorer. He’s a great pull-up shooter, and is lightning quick. Additionally, he has the kind of positional size that the Magic’s front office tends to look for from players. His ability to play on or off ball is extremely valuable to a team that will also want to still evaluate Fultz, and will want to get a player who can contribute. Maybe White ends up as more of a backup scorer, but I do think the upside is genuinely there for him to become a starter in the NBA.”

SI.com, Mock Draft (Jeremy Woo, March 20)
Rank: 8, Washington Wizards
Rationale: Praises White’s size, projectable three-point shooting, rapid year-long improvement, etc.

Forbes, Mock Draft (Tommy Beer, March 4)
Pick: 24, Oklahoma City Thunder
Rationale: Questions White’s positional fit, ability to defend elite quickness at next level. Says positional uncertainty could negatively affect draft stock.

SportingNews, Mock Draft (Chris Stone, March 21)
Pick: 13, Orlando Magic
Rationale: Mentions scoring ability and fit as a one/two-guard.

Draft Site, Mock Draft (Stone Hansen)
Pick: 12, Orlando Magic
Rationale: N/A

Basketball Insiders, Mock Draft (Steve Kyler, March 26)
Pick: 6, Coby White
Rationale: N/A

Bleacher Report, Mock Draft (Zach Buckley, March 14)
Pick: 18, Boston Celtics
Rationale: N/A

CBB Today, Draft Board (Ben Pfeifer, March 15)
Rank: 9
Rationale: Says White is essentially in the same tier as fellow point guards Darius Garland and Ja Morant, with his shaky handles and some athleticism concerns placing him behind the former two. Says that White is the better defender of the bunch due to his size at the position, and praises his scoring prowess.

UPROXX, Mock Draft (Brad Rowland, March 20)
Pick: 15, Orlando Magic
Rationale: “Getting White at No. 15 would be a tremendous pick-up for Orlando. He’s been better than expected at North Carolina and White has good size (6’5) to pair with an evolving and potent offensive skill set.”

Yahoo Sports, Mock Draft (Spencer Pearlman, March 27)
Pick: 11, Minnesota Timberwolves
Rationale: Mentions that White has played at a high level throughout the season while improving his point-guard skills.

The Stepien, Draft Board (Ross Homan, March 21)
Rank: 8
Rationale: “He’s a crafty finisher, solid passer and really good at creating space for his jump shot. I fully trust White to be a good, maybe great, offensive player at the next level. His handle will need improvement and he’ll need to eliminate silly turnovers, but he’s consistently improved his decision-making throughout the year, giving reason for optimism.”