UNC Basketball: Is Coby White’s future outside of Chicago?
The former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American earned a Second Team All-ACC selection in his lone season with the UNC basketball program.
Coby White emerged as a star in Chapel Hill, playing his way into a one-and-done prospect and a lottery pick by the Chicago Bulls. Three years later, White’s future in Chicago is increasingly uncertain.
The Chicago Sun-Times explored White’s time as a Bull, highlighting inefficient shooting and liability on defense as a reason for his uncertain future in the Windy City.
Heading into what could be his last season in Chicago, it is the Bulls that failed Coby White, not White who failed the Bulls.
While White has often been a streaky shooter and a below-average defender, the Bulls never put the former North Carolina guard in a position to succeed.
Tomas Satoransky, a fourth-year guard, started during White’s first season, commanding the floor for a 22-43 team. The rookie guard earned All-Rookie second-team honors, averaging more points and rebounds in fewer minutes than Satoransky.
After White’s rookie season, head coach Jim Boylan was ousted in favor of former University of Florida and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan. White was thrust into the starting point guard role, where he improved his game in every statistical category.
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The Chicago floor general recorded career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and field-goal percentage. White’s defensive effectiveness improved, ranking 109th in Defensive Win Shares against opposing teams’ starting units.
With two seasons under his belt, a much improved White would not remain in the Bulls’ starting lineup. Chicago would acquire former No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans, forcing the 20-year-old to the bench.
Although White has improved his shooting numbers and efficiency each season, he was never given a chance to flourish as the Bulls’ starting point guard.
The No. 7 overall pick did not receive a vote of confidence from the Chicago front office, as Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu was selected by the Bulls in the 2021 NBA Draft. In addition, former Laker guard Alex Caruso signed a four-year contract with Chicago in the offseason.
With a crowded guard room, White was left competing for minutes without a real chance to dethrone Ball. Despite developing as a 21-year-old, Dosunmu jumped White on the depth chart in the backcourt.
Chicago continued their lack of respect for White, signing Goran Dragić this offseason and selecting Arizona guard Dalen Terry in this year’s draft.
Heading into the 2022-2023 season, Coby White finds himself on the trading block as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Surrounded by a below-average roster in his first two seasons, White improved on both ends of the floor. Chicago repaid the UNC basketball product by replacing him with Ball, diminishing his confidence, neglecting his development, and reducing his minutes.
The Bulls are tied to Ball and Caruso through the 2024-2025 season, leaving White on the outside looking in.
A change of scenery is necessary for White to reach his potential in the NBA, as the Chicago Bulls have not given him a chance to develop into an impactful guard.
White was given just one season as a starting point guard with Chicago having no clear plan for his development. Enduring both a coaching and GM change, while improving his shooting numbers and defensive impact was not enough for a franchise that had missed four consecutive playoffs.
It is the Bulls that failed Coby White, not White who failed the Bulls.
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