How Coby White will fit in with the Chicago Bulls
With the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Coby White. White is a 6’5″ freshman point guard out of North Carolina. At the start of the year, Coby White was projected to go mid to late first round in the draft. After his impressive freshman season at North Carolina (averaging 16.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists), he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Ahead of notable players such as Cameron Reddish, Nassir Little, and Romeo Langford, who were all projected much higher than White early in the season.
Coby White wasn’t the most efficient player in college. Having sixteen games where he shot less than 30% from three with a minimum of four threes taken. He also had seventeen games with three or more turnovers, which isn’t promising especially since he’ll most likely be the primary ball handler for the Bulls. He did have ten games with five or more assists, which shows that he can be a good playmaker. The Chicago Bulls had the fourth fewest assists per game this season (21.9), and were last in three pointers made per game (9.1), which is two areas that Coby White can help them improve upon. The Bulls were also the fourth worst team in points per game (104.9). So, Coby White’s scoring abilities are in high demand for the Bulls.
He’s a great scorer with some inconsistencies, he’s a decent playmaker, and he gives maximum effort on every play. He had thirteen games in which he had two or more steals. Showing that his effort and aggressiveness on the defensive end of the ball pays off. He’s 6’5″, and according to Roy Williams “He’s the best scoring point guard I’ve coached.”
Coby White will most likely be the day one starter for the Bulls. That will leave Kris Dunn to a reserve role (which could be beneficial for him). The Bulls were the second worst team in terms of bench points, so Kris Dunn’s playmaking will translate well to the bench. Coby White is more of a combo guard than he is a true point guard. This will leave the Bulls with a ton of lineup diversity next season. Kris Dunn and Coby White can play together, which will let Zach LaVine have a bit more freedom to find his shots. The Bulls have plenty of good young talent, and White will be a great addition to that group. Zach LaVine, Wendell Carter, Lauri Markkanen, and Coby White are all under twenty-four years old, so the Bulls have a bright future. If these players develop into their full potential, they can be quite an obstacle for other teams. LaVine and Markkanen are both poor defenders, and Coby is more of a hustle player than he is a talented one. So the Bulls will need to add talented defensive players around this core, which they already started with doing by acquiring Kris Dunn and Otto Porter Jr.
Coby White may not be perfect for Chicago, but the skills he brings to the table will definitely help the Bulls immediately. He’s an athletic 6’5″ point guard, who’s showed incredible shot creation as well as shooting this season. He also has high defensive potential, with his size and speed. He’s going to be effective right away, and if he is surrounded by the right talent, he can blossom into his full potential and can be a great fit for the Bulls.
