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Chicago Bulls rookie Coby White kept things going on Thursday, as the 6-foot-5 guard recorded another impressive performance for his team in the preaseason. The 19-year-old dropped a game-high 29 points on a very efficient 10-of-14 shooting, along with six three-pointers, six rebounds, and a block, in just 23 minutes of action. It was indeed a special night for White, who led the Bulls to a convincing 111-103 victory against the Atlanta Hawks.
White isn't likely going to be this good for the Bulls in his rookie year, but it would not be surprising if the former University of North Carolina standout is able to stand out as one of the best players in his draft class this coming season.
For his part, Bulls head coach Jim Boylen has already guaranteed that the youngster has earned a significant spot in his team's rotation this coming campaign.
Boylen: “We’re developing Coby White as a basketball player.” Will he have spot in rotation? “Absolutely,” Boylen said.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 16, 2019
Newcomer Tomas Satoransky is expected to start at the point guard spot for the Bulls this season, with White, Kris Dunn, and Ryan Arcidiacono battling for backcourt minutes off the bench. There is a bit of a logjam for Chicago at the point guard spot, but given how the Bulls decided to use their seventh overall pick in the draft for White, he will surely play his part for the team this season.
For Bulls superstar Zach LaVine, he already sees tremendous potential from White.
“He’s going to be special,” LaVine said, via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. “He knows it. We know it.”
LaVine went on to describe exactly why he believes White has quite a future ahead of him.
“I think he’s had one of the best rookie camps I’ve seen,” LaVine said. “We know he can shoot and score but the way he has handled himself, he has been aggressive and playing his game. He can shoot, space the floor and score. It’s going to help us so much.
“You can put him in anywhere. He’s going to get the job done. He’s fearless, not scared of anything, not scared of the moment. I talk to him all the time and say, ‘Keep going.’”
Coach Boylen also added that one of the things that his impressed him the most is White's work ethic.
“What he does is he works,” coach Jim Boylen said. “He hasn’t missed any practice time. He’s in the facility at night. When I’m in there at 8 p.m., he’s in there shooting with his brother, Will, after practice. He puts the extra time in. He cares.”
White appears to have a lot of things going for him early on in his career. He possesses the skill set to excel as a premier guard in the league in the near future, and the mentality he brings to the table proves that he is not the type that will be sitting on his laurels.
It's going to be an exciting debut campaign ahead for White, and if all goes according to plan, he could actually emerge as one of the most important pieces of Chicago's young and promising core.
