The dog days of summer are winding to a close as football and basketball seasons are on the brink of kicking off. The North Carolina Tar Heels not only look to field competitive teams but roster athletes who could potentially go on and make a name for themselves in the professional league they aspire to play in.
One of those players is Coby White. After just a single season in Chapel Hill, White took his talents to the NBA where he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. In his first four seasons in Chicago, White has struggled to find a consistent role. But I’m here to tell you why 2023-2024 could be a breakout season for White.
A Special Freshman
When White arrived in Chapel Hill he was not the most heralded prospect. Rivals and 247Sports had him 26th in his class while ESPN had him 23rd. In the summer before his freshman season, White helped the United States U18 National team win the gold medal in the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship.
Despite being two years removed from a National Championship, Head Coach Roy Williams surprised some by naming White starting point guard in the teams’ first game, a position he would retain the rest of the season. White had a tremendous season, setting a North Carolina freshman record for most 3-pointers made and leading the Tar Heels to a number-one seed in the NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina would ultimately fall short of their goal, losing to Auburn in the Sweet 16, but White made a name for himself and declared for the draft. The Chicago Bulls selected White 7th overall making him the highest Tar Heel draft pick since Marvin Williams and Raymond Felton were both selected in the top 5 in 2005.
White’s Breakout
White’s professional career has been a mixed bag so far. The Bulls can’t seem to figure out what kind of player they want him to be. Sometimes he would be asked to run point guard, other times he would be expected to jump into the role of a bench scorer. Being a young player in the NBA is hard enough, asking one to juggle multiple roles as he tries to develop his game is damn near impossible.
Midway through the 2022-2023 season, it seemed as though both White and the Bulls figured out what they want him to be. White’s defense took an enormous leap and the Bulls started using him at the point of attack much more. White became evasive darting around screens while using his upper body strength to stay in front of even the quickest guards.
Offensively, sharing the court with Zach LaVine and Demar Derozan has actually simplified the process for White. White has focused on shooting off the catch, roaming the perimeter to provide good off-ball gravity, and attacking close-outs. White’s shot is pure and he has the ability to shoot 40% or even better from beyond the arc.
All of this translated in the impact data at the end of the season. The Bulls were not a great team, but they were a very good one when White played. With White on the court, the Bulls outscored opponents by 4.0 points per 100 possessions. When he sat, they were outscored by 0.5 points per 100 possessions. This +4.5 differential was the second-best on the team behind Alex Caruso.
One misconception about NBA lottery picks is that they’re expected to become stars. Becoming a star in the NBA is extremely difficult. Often it’s more essential to be a star in your role. If White finds it in himself to combine defense-bending 3-point shooting with elite defense, he will become just that.
