UNC Basketball: How firing of Jim Boylen affects Coby White

The Chicago Bulls will have a new head coach for the 2020-2021 season. How will this affect a former UNC basketball standout?

The Chicago Bulls announced the firing of head coach Jim Boylen on Friday morning. The 55-year-old spent parts of two seasons as the team’s coach. Since taking over the job, Boylen and the Bulls haven’t seen much success. He posted a 39-84 record as the Bulls lead man, and his .317 winning percentage is the second-worst in franchise history.

With a new regime taking over in Chicago, it was expected that Boylen would be removed from the position. After being just one of eight teams to not be invited to the NBA bubble, the belief was that the Bulls would start to look in another direction.

However, there was some speculation that Boylen could stick around as the team looked to save money. Boylen’s $1.6 million salary was set to be one of the lowest in the NBA, and it was possibly enticing to the new ownership to keep him around (at least for the short-term) to save some money.

Ultimately, the team decided that it was time to move on. As the Bulls look for their new head coach, you have to wonder how it affects a young play-maker like Coby White.

The Bulls took White with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. During his rookie campaign, White appeared in 65 games, averaging 13.2 points per game in just under 26 minutes a contest.

After spending just one season in Chapel Hill, it was expected that White would need some time to develop at the NBA level. The Bulls took it slow with White, as he made just one start during his rookie campaign. Over his 65 games played, White had his ups and downs, but showed flashes of greatness, particularly on the offensive end of the floor.

As he gained more NBA experience, White definitely began making his case to be inserted into the Bulls’ starting rotation. Having started the team’s last game of their condensed season, it looked as if White was set to take on a bigger role in the team’s rotation.

With a new coach coming in, you can make the case that no player will be impacted more than White. As Chicago looks to find the right fit for the future of the franchise, their ultimate hire will have a huge impact on White’s overall development.

NBC Sports Chicago has speculated about some potential candidates, including former Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. As the coaching search gets underway, expect to hear a lot of names that are considered to be in the mix.

For White, the young guard must hope that his new coach has the ability to help him grow. Heading into year two, it’s logical to think that it’s time for White to be inserted into the starting lineup. We’ve seen what White is capable of, but he still has plenty of room to grow. As he hopes to develop into a full-time starter, his new coach will have a major impact on this very early portion of his career.

Continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team for all the latest news and updates regarding your favorite Tar Heel alumni.