Coby White

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Go behind the scenes as Coby White continues to work and grow on and off the court early in the 2023/24 NBA Season.

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All-Access: Behind-the-Scenes with Coby White

Sam Smith

Just in time with the season teetering, the Bulls finally pulled off that big trade.

Yes, they got Coby, yeah Coby White. That Coby White.

And just in time to be the hero of the Bulls biggest win of the season Wednesday to start a six-game road trip, 118—113 over the Milwaukee Bucks.

“The one thing I love about him is there is a resilience there,” said Bulls coach Billy Donovan. “He doesn’t get too down on himself. He stays engaged and just believes in himself. Him and Vooch (Nikola Vučević) both made some big threes late to give us a little cushion. I give Coby a lot of credit coming off a lot of games off and the injury; it was great to see.”

That was White reentering the game with 3:45 left and the Bulls trailing the Milwaukee Bucks 105-104, a wonderful Bulls all around effort seemingly about to slip away to the superior Bucks.

This was, mind you, the Coby White in full struggle for a second-consecutive season, averaging 7.3 points on 36 percent overall shooting, mostly out of the regular playing rotation and just back from missing eight games with a calf injury. But Donovan calculated that the Bucks would smother DeMar DeRozan, coming off a brilliant 18 points in the third quarter among his team high 36, and the floor would open for shooters. 

Calling shooters; any Bulls? Go ahead and step up. Hey, what do you know, there’s one.

The lack of perimeter threats in an era when that defines the NBA game has been an issue for the Bulls. The 6-5 White fits the profile, but not the picture on this Bulls team playing behind Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso. And now new addition Goran Dragić. But with Dragić out with a shoulder injury, White got the call, and maybe the Bulls got an answer.

With the Bucks about to take the game leading 109-106 with just over a minute left, White gobbled up a pass from Alex Caruso and stuffed a three to tie the game. Then Caruso got in front of Giannis Antetokounmpo for a charge, if not for a change. DeRozan smothered with a gravy sauce of Bucks defenders as Donovan guessed correctly found White in the right corner. White coolly carted up the Bucks, dropping in the big game breaking three for a 112-109 Bulls lead with 46.1 seconds left.

The Bucks called time. But then in another of so many crucial defensive plays, the Bulls cut off Antetokounmpo trying for the inbounds pass. It went out of bounds from Jrue Holiday for a turnover. Vučević closed out the Bucks with his fourth three pointer of the game.

But it was White with his 14 points, four of seven threes and even an Olympic swimming long dive or two for loose balls and three steals that helped inspire the Bulls to outshoot the three-point heavy Bucks with 18 of 42 threes. More significantly, it was a glimpse of the scorer that White was promised to be and perhaps is not too late to make a difference for the Bulls.

“Same way I approach every other game,” said White, who maintains an impressive conviction despite his many setbacks since being the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 draft. “(I’ve) been in and out of the rotation, got hurt, which didn’t help me. Each game I approach the same way. I’m not really an intense guy, kind of chill, laid back. Just get locked in. That’s how I approached it, how I normally approach it.

“My teammates made the right plays (on those threes),” said White. “I was open; they found me. It wasn’t anything special, and I was open and finally knocked down some shots. I was just trying to get lost in the game, the competition of the game. I feel like this year I’m taking steps on that (defensive) end.

"It hasn’t been the ideal start to the season for me, being hurt, being out of the rotation,” White acknowledged. “I got an opportunity tonight and I was just trying to leave an imprint on the game whether that was defensively or offensively.”

White did for certain, just his fourth game in the 10 he’s played this season scoring in double figures for a player who averaged double figures in each of his three seasons with the Bulls. But he seemed to be falling out of favor on the team with trade speculation and the failure to get the rookie eligible contract extension going into his fourth season. The top five picks in that draft all signed huge contract extensions.

White was slowed last season after shoulder surgery, and then this season seemed to lose his role with the addition of Dragić. He played in late game “garbage time” twice and was scoreless, though he showed some signs of emerging in Monday’s win over Boston.

With what White showed Wednesday in Milwaukee and down the stretch in stretching the court and being able to make the missing big threes, he may be making a good problem for Donovan: How’s he going to get White in there more often? Because no one else on the team has the sixth-man instant offense capabilities that White does when he’s in form.

“I was pleased my teammates trusted me,” said White, laughing as locker neighbor Dalen Terry yelled over that he was just pleased with Coby. “Like I said, I was just trying to go in at the end and help us win.”

Got a question for Sam?Submit your question to Sam at asksam@bulls.com

The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.

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Sam Smith: Coby White's clutch shooting in Milwaukee is a reminder of what he's capable of

Coby White, the rookie 7th overall pick out of North Carolina, has immediately established himself as a Chicago fan favorite in his first NBA season. The 6-foo-4 scoring dynamo went through typical rookie up and downs throughout the year, but he flashed enough speed, confidence and scoring punch – particularly in the final stages of the season before the worldwide pandemic shut the season down – to get Bulls fans truly excited for his bright future.

White, the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina high school basketball history, could put the ball in the bucket in a lot of different ways, and when he heated up he was nearly impossible to stop. He led all rookies with three-pointers made with 133 on the year and finished third overall in scoring (seventh in points per game). He showed he was a fit early – scoring 17 and 25 in his first two NBA games, respectively – and worked his way out of the midseason rookie wall. Bulls fans can expect this young combo guard – who didn’t turn 20 until February 16 – to be a mainstay in Chicago for years to come.

Coby drops seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter vs. New York

Here are a few of Coby’s standout performances this season:

OCTOBER 25, 2019 AT MEMPHIS (BULLS 110, GRIZZLIES 102)

Coby White Stat Line: 25 points (10-16 FG, 4-8 3PT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists

White has plenty of ‘hot’ games to choose from – most notably his three game run of 30+ games in late February – but we wanted to highlight this one as Coby’s introduction to Bulls fans as a true talent. After a solid opening night, Coby went off in this second game of the season, outplaying No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant (10 points) and being one of the biggest reasons (along with Zach LaVine) the Bulls pulled out an early road win against a talented Memphis squad.

Coby remained confident but a true team mentality after the game, crediting the squad for helping him get his first NBA victory.

“It was a team win,” White said. ”I was just one little piece of it. We got it done as a team. I was just doing what I can to create some type of spark.”

NOVEMBER 12, 2019 VS NEW YORK (BULLS 120, KNICKS 102)

Coby White Stat Line: 27 points (8-14 FG, 7-11 3PT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

This might not have been Coby’s most complete performance or highest scoring output of the season, but it sure was a moment. White hit seven threes on the night – all of them in the fourth quarter. With his college coach Roy Williams in attendance at the United Center, White became the youngest player in NBA history to make seven threes in a single quarter – all the more impressive because he missed his first three attempts on the night. This performance buried the Knicks and caused the United Center to have a palpable buzz through the entire building.

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 VS OKLAHOMA CITY (THUNDER 124, BULLS 122)

Coby White Stat Line: 35 points (13-21 FG, 6-9 3PT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists

The Bulls may have lost this game – a 24-point comeback effort falling just short down the stretch – but Coby White continued to turn heads, dropping a career high 35-points in his third consecutive 30-point game. The rookie was truly unstoppable putting the ball in the basket, and in teaming with Zach LaVine (41 points), the Bulls have a young scoring backcourt that when on is going to be hard to stop for years to come.

"We can both score, but we're also unselfish and make the right play," said White, who had 10 in the fourth quarter after LaVine stunned the Thunder with 19 in the third. "I just think we're hard to guard as a team. Us two as a one-two punch, it's good for us as a team."

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Bulls 2019-2020 Season Recap: Coby White

Coby White, who was one of the hottest players in the NBA following the All-Star break, catches up with Sam Smith on life without basketball.

Coby White is one of the fortunate ones. He's healthy, sure, which is most important these days. But he's also someone who's in love and has been in love just about as long as he can remember. Which is also the difficult part. Because lately that love has been unrequited, and Coby is heartbroken.

"It's different," White was saying by telephone this weekend from his North Carolina home. "It's hard not being able to push your body to the limit. It's different for me because I've been doing that for years. And then to stop right away. You've got to find other stuff to do. For me, it's been really hard because I've always had basketball.

"Now I have to find other stuff to do to pass the time," said White. "I've never really had time for hobbies or to do other things. It's been basketball. But this gives me time to learn a lot about myself. I'm trying to find different stuff to do."

"Nah," White said with a laugh. "I'm still looking."

Coby White celebrates after hitting a three.

Coby White knows he's one of the truly lucky ones because he's back home with his family, they're healthy and he's officially an NBA player, the culmination of a lifelong dream. The 20-year-old whose innocent charm and joyous enthusiasm has made him arguably Bulls fans' most popular player also, like everyone else, is remaining at home and attempting to find a substitute passion.

But everyone knows how difficult it is to get past your first love.

And so goes life during COVID-19 for White, the precocious Bulls rookie who made his first start as an NBA player March 10 in a Bulls home win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. White had a relatively modest game (for him since the All-Star break) with "just" 20 points, five assists and five rebounds. But as Coby grew, so did the Bulls.

White was on one of the best runs in the NBA his last nine games, basically since the All-Star break. He was averaging 26.1 points and shooting 43.2 percent on threes. In the previous six games, he also was averaging six assists. The Bulls had won two of those five with three narrow losses. Perhaps finally ballast for a foundering season with White's increased presence.

"It was exciting to get my first start because, obviously, my goal is to be a starting point guard in the NBA," White said. "So that meant a lot being my first one. I feel like after the All-Star break I got a lot more comfortable on the court with running the team and the offense, and defensively. I felt I definitely could play in this league. I felt like after the All-Star break, I could make a huge impact in the league. So I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. This first year has been good for me with the ups and downs to see what I needed to do, to go through the adversity, and then after the All-Star break."

White began to get noticed not only with the February Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month designation, but with the appreciation from his peers. Ja Morant, most likely to win Rookie of the Year, posted that fans and media should be talking about White. Future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade posted his favorite rookies to watch were Morant, Zion Williamson and White.

"It was tough (to see the season suspended)," White admitted. "It hurts, especially after that first start of the season and the win. Though there are more important things going on. At the end of the day, you control what you can control. You can't control what is happening. So you take care of people and do what you can and listen to the professionals. I'll make sure to stay in shape and when we come back pick up where I left off and help lead the team."

Coby White collects his thoughts moments before tipoff.

It's a bright spot for the Bulls in these dark times for the world and the NBA.

Like everyone else, White was stunned to disbelief with the rapid turnaround. From running the court to running for cover, in his case an eventual return home once it was safe with his brother and constant companion Will to his family's modest home in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

"We didn't want my mom to be alone," Coby said. "The main thing is my mom lives here by herself. The way everything was looking it's looking like it's going to be a lot of time; it's going to get worse before it gets better. So me and my brother felt it was best to go home and be with our mom. I don't see my mom that much. So be with her in this tough time until things get better and we can go back to Chicago. Don't let her go through all this alone."

Goldsboro is a small manufacturing and farming area in east central North Carolina, also the home of new Chicago Bears tight end Jimmy Graham. Legendary actor Andy Griffith, who grew up in western North Carolina in another of the small towns that was the model for his famous Mayberry, taught at Goldsboro High School after college. Alec Jacoby White, who became Coby from his shortened middle name, quickly became attached to the orange ball and became the state's prep scoring leader. He had that relentless drive. On and off the court.

Coby White shoots a three against Boston.

"Wake up, have breakfast," said Coby. "Mom cooks eggs and bacon. Later I'll make myself a sandwich. One of my favorite spots—it's probably not great for me—I'll get a sandwich from Brooklyn Pizzeria. It's one of my favorite spots (for subs), but I try to limit myself.

"I'll work out," White said. "The Bulls put together this workout schedule. Four, five days of the week and I follow that. I don't have a gym in my house. Pushups, curls, basic stuff."

Bulls strength coach Matt Johnson prepared a program for each of the players with a warm up, lateral movements, body weight strength that includes squats, lunges, pushups and hip movements. There's also movements to focus on landings with four serious conditioning sessions per week. Still, without weights and a basketball court, players aren't going to be ready very quickly.

"I've talked to Arch, Shaq, Denzel, Zach, Kris Dunn, Wendell," said White. "Just trying to keep in contact with some of the guys and see what's doing. Working out and then trying to find some TV shows to watch; just trying to be positive about everything.

"I'm watching Young Justice now on Netflix," said White. "Next it will be All-American. I've been hearing about that from people. We ended on a win and hopefully we can get back to playing and keep that going, especially pretty much everyone should be healthy. Like Kris, Chandler; Zach was coming back. I really felt we were taking some good steps and getting past the injuries, getting things going in the right direction."

It's been that way for White since he was the No. 7 selection in last year's NBA draft. There was some disappointment when the Bulls took a steep tumble in the draft lottery to No. 7. But it seems they have a winner with the composed but passionate rookie.

White was a standout even on draft night when his college teammate, Cam Johnson, was a surprise lottery selection. White's enthusiasm for Johnson's good fortune seemed even greater than for his own. White might have the skills of a scorer, but he's also got the heart of a philanthropist.

Chicago appears to have noticed with the community's devoted response.

"I guess my personality," says White. "I always tell people I love the way Chicago has accepted me because it wasn't always as good as it was after the All-Star break. But the fans and the city all seem on my side. They're watching me grow and learn and continue to progress as the season went on. It means a lot to me to be a Bull and play in Chicago."

Though the 6-4 guard played off the bench all season and was so overlooked the NBA failed to include him in the All-Star Rising Stars game even though it was in Chicago, White's potential was apparent in the way he zealously greeted the season.

Coby White scored 25 points in the second NBA game of his career.

White had 17 points in the opener in a late game loss in Charlotte. Then he scored 25 points with four of eight threes in a victory in Memphis. White willingness to attempt the shots down the stretch in both games showed a confidence and certainly vital for elite players. Though White staggered through December into January with fatigue and undulating lineups and rotations, he continued to remain positive. It's helped make him a big positive for the Bulls future.

"With me, Zach, Wendell, guys we have I feel like we were getting better and we can start jelling and string together some wins for sure when we play again," said White. "It takes some patience, for sure, but I feel we'll put in the work and that it will be interesting."

It's what you love about a player like White with that kind of love for the game. Because there's nothing you can do that can't be done. All you need is love.

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Coby White talks life without basketball from home in North Carolina

Bulls.com

Starting the first game of his NBA career, Coby White continued his hot post All-Star break stretch, scoring 20 points in a 108-103 win over Cleveland.

The Bulls just don't lose when Coby White starts.

So maybe it was White's first ever professional start in the Bulls 108-103 victory over a Cleveland team again trying out the Cadavers nickname. And perhaps it was an unusually energetic group of Bulls players who because of new coronavirus protocols were required to be at least six feet away from any media member. Talk about clearer air to breathe. Which also make you wonder why players shower before speaking with reporters, but reporters never shower before interviewing players.

Ah, but I digress. And it was a bit of a pleasant digression for the Bulls Tuesday with a third win in their last eight games for a 22-43 mark and five Bulls scoring in double figures for the first time this season led by White with 20 points.

"Coby made some huge plays for us down the stretch," said Bulls coach Jim Boylen. "We had that spurt in the fourth (16-7 start to break from a 78 tie after three) and we were able to get a lead and hang on. Coby made some huge plays for us down the stretch. Shaq (Harrison) gets 10 boards; that huge for us. We had a defensive crew out there at the end. It was good."

Chuck Swirsky with BullsTV recaps tonight's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was good, finally, as the Bulls were the ones this time to pull away late and finish even as the Cavaliers cut a 10-point deficit with under five minutes to 105-103 with 38.3 seconds. It was then Harrison made the game saving play flying in past Collin Sexton, who appeared to believe it still was the t-shirt parachute drop. As Sexton looked around, Harrison sprinted to the basket for the second chance and was fouled for two free throws. That gave the Bulls a four-point lead with 13.2 seconds left. Wendell Carter Jr. with 17 points then knocked the ball away from a driving Sexton to effectively end the game. Sexton led Cleveland with 26 points on 12 of 16 shooting.

Harrison had just eight points. But he led the Bulls in rebounding for a second straight game and added three blocks. He was credited with just one steal when it seemed he had a half dozen the way he disrupted the Cavaliers. It was a testament to the way the Bulls at least continued to compete in what probably was White's poorest game since his post All-Star breakout. And White still scored 20 on a bad day.

White had nine of the Bulls 21 turnovers, which accounted for much of the Cleveland offense with 32 points.

The Cavaliers now with the lumbering Andre Drummond to join the lumbering Kevin Love were without their point guard, rookie Darius Garland. Sexton is a flash like White, but the Cavs don't work the ball much and play a lot of isolation. So the Cavaliers tried—and almost got away with—the 90s NBA game of big guys banging away inside. That game was undermined some by almost casual defense that on several occasions had Bulls players hesitating to take threes and no one even attempting to run at them. It was a new Cleveland oxymoron of enthusiastic indifference.

To the Bulls credit, you never see that lack of effort.

Coby White scored 20 points against the Cavs in his first career start.

One of the pivotal closing plays was a Tomas Satoransky offensive rebound to set up one of those shoot-already threes from Thad Young, which gave the Bulls a 100-93 lead with 3:22 left.

"Sato just goes out and competes, runs the ball down, knocks people over," praised Boylen. "He's got a great heart to play the game really hard. I thought overall Shaq and Sato were great at our compete level; that's what we have to do."

Satoransky in a bad post All-Star slump moved to the bench with White drawing his first—and much anticipated—start. Satoransky was predictably gracious about the move, supportive of White while accepting fault.

"I kind of expected that," said Satoransky, quietly fighting off a hyperextended thumb injury the last week. "I think it was logical with the way I have been playing since the All-Star break (under 20 percent on threes) and the way Coby's been playing. You just have to respect it. Sometimes that happens to you as a player. I'm just happy for him; he was helping us win the game. He's been balling out, so I felt like he deserved that chance."

Harrison probably is not going to start much longer as the Bulls are closing in on having their main starters together with Porter in his fifth game back from season long injury and Zach LaVine perhaps playing this weekend in Florida or back in Chicago Sunday. Harrison has been impressing the way he's been dominating the rebounding as the Bulls smallest player in the game at about 6-4. Denzel Valentine and Lauri Markkanen both added 15 points and the Bulls hustled to 17 second chance points against the taller Cavaliers with Andre Drummond getting 21 points, but just seven rebounds.

Otto Porter Jr. contributed 15 points off the bench in the win.

Meanwhile, the most pivotal play was Harrison's offensive rebound. That came with the Cavaliers in one of the worst shooting displays of the season missing 16 of 18 threes. Suddenly they made four in five attempts to get within 103-101 with 1:26 left. White ran a nice two-man game to get Carter a pair of free throws for a 105-101 lead with 1:11 left as Carter had his liveliest effort since his return from an ankle sprain.

Sexton then committed a turnover and the Cavs began to trap with the clock below a minute. Harrison got stuck in the backcourt, so with the eight-second clock expiring, Boylen sprinted onto the court for a timeout and added another to advance the ball. The Bulls loused up the strategy with a turnover. But it was Shaq when needed just like the Lakers used to say.

"We came out and fought hard," said White. "We finished on a good note. Wasn't pretty, but we gutted it through and we played tough and played with grit, so it was good. Exciting (to start) and get a win my first one. It's a blessing to be starting in the NBA. I'm just trying to stay locked in and focused on the game and what I've got to do to help my team win. You want to do good and play good and you want to help your team win."

Coby White had 20 points in his first career NBA start.

White did so as the symmetry wasn't lost on the United Center fans as the pregame introduction declared, "From North Carolina…"

Like the wins as the Bulls have been getting close often despite the revolving door of injuries, substitutions and mishaps. The Bulls again were without LaVine as he turned 25 years old Tuesday. Cleveland led 29-27 after the first quarter and then the Bulls took the handoff for a 54-52 halftime lead in a game with 30 ties and lead changes. The Cavs dropped to 19-46. The Bulls went ahead by seven points late in the third only to have the Cavaliers finish 9-2 for the tie after three quarters.

And then the Bulls took control, Harrison with a tipin score, Valentine with a pair of threes, Satoransky finally with a three on one of White's five assists, Carter getting some of that lift back for a score and then Harrison getting to the right spot at the right time to keep the Bulls from being left behind.

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Coby White scores 20 in first career start as Bulls beat Cavs 108-103

Coby White is set to make the first start of his NBA career on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jim Boylen told reporters on Monday that he's earned it.

You're walking along the street or you're at a party Or else you're alone and then you suddenly dig You're looking in someone's eyes You suddenly realize That this could be the start of something big —-Steve Allen, lyrics

The start of something big? Perhaps Tuesday in the United Center when the Bulls host the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Probably not so much for the TV networks or the basketball cognoscenti since the Bulls are the "winning" team at 21-43. The Cavaliers in their post-LeBron depression are 19-45. Those Cavaliers have an appealing backcourt with rookie Darius Garland and second year guard Collin Sexton, the latter one of the league's top scorers since the All-Star break, averaging 25.4 points and shooting 43 percent on threes.

The Bulls also have one of the highest scorers in rookie Coby White, arguably the league's No. 1 rookie since the All-Star break and finally getting his first start of his NBA career. Zach LaVine remains sidelined for perhaps one more game with a quad strain. But when LaVine returns, is that to be 50 points from the Bulls backcourt?

"Yeah, I'm starting," White told reporters following Monday's practice in the Advocate Center. "I played with the first unit a lot even when I was off the bench. So I just approach it like all the other games I've been approaching. I'm just coming in, playing hard and doing my job. I've been playing pretty well. So just gotta continue to do that and continue to play hard.

"It means a lot, I'm excited," White admitted. "But like I said, just gonna approach it the same way. I honestly didn't think I would be starting. Like I said, coach never put the idea out there. We never really talked about it, so I was comfortable without starting. I'm excited to start, but I was also comfortable not starting. I'm excited to start at home. It'll be a good time for me."

And especially for the United Center audience, which has been pining for weeks for White to exit the bench pines and receive a starting unit introduction. Less than a season into his professional career, the serene scorer from North Carolina has quickly become a fan favorite with his shooting and bold scoring.

White is averaging 13.1 points for the season coming off the bench as the team has alternatively played him as a shooter and point guard and attempted to massage his development as he turns 20 years old. But with the playoff objective slipping away eight games out of eighth place, the Bulls appear to be eying next season.

Coby White is averaging 25.2 points per game since the All-Star break.

Tomas Satoransky will play with the second unit. Coach Jim Boylen said he hasn't made a decision on returning Otto Porter Jr. to the starting lineup. Denzel Valentine and Shaquille Harrison will remain starters Tuesday. Porter should start soon after missing most of the season with a foot fracture. Recently, both Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. returned from injury. Once LaVine returns from his leg strain, the presumptive starting lineup for next season should be in place.

And with the most dynamic offensive backcourt since Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon.

White has been one of the NBA's most exciting players since All-Star weekend when he was snubbed for the Rising Stars game. Since then, White has been the most productive rookie in the NBA, tied in scoring with Zion Williamson while leading in threes made and shooting more than 40 percent on threes. White had a run of three games scoring at least 30 points. He has scored at least 20 points in seven of the last eight games, averaging 26.9 in that period.

White was the No. 7 selection in last year's NBA draft. He was generally regarded as the third point guard, though he's been outscoring all the guards the last month even coming off the bench. Cavs point guard Garland was selected No. 5. He is uncertain with a groin injury. Ja Morant was the consensus choice as top point guard and still the favorite for Rookie of the Year. But White is coming fast.

Coby White has made 33 three-pointers since the All-Star break, the most for a rookie.

"I think he's earned it," Boylen said of starting White. "Tomas was great (about coming off the bench). Tomas is a professional. Tomas just wants to help the team win. He'll do that in any role we give him. That's why we wanted him. He's a team guy.

"The biggest thing is this is the next stage in (White's) development," said Boylen. "He's grown into this opportunity. We'll take it a game at a time. This is something that has been building. It's something that I've talked about.

"The biggest responsibility is to keep doing the things he's doing," said Boylen. "You don't become the starter and reinvent the way you play. You play the way you've been playing. He's played starter's minutes. He's played against starters in the minutes he plays. So this is not a thing where we had this expectation for him to change who he is or what he's doing. Continue to grow with your competitiveness at the defensive end of the floor, honoring your assignments, grow with your decisions within our offense and continue to be aggressive like who you are. He started off as a guy that was off the ball. We gravitated him more to the ball. And now he's going to be on the ball more with that first group. I think the progression has been good.''

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Coby White set to make his first start against Cavs

childukich

Though it's taken some time for rookie Coby White to adjust to the NBA lifestyle and level of competition, he's beginning to find his groove and is being awarded for it: the NBA announced Tuesday that White is the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February, the Bulls first rookie to receive that honor since Nikola Mirotic in 2015.

Coby White always had been ‘the Man." Like pretty much everyone in the NBA. In the parks and school yards and AAU tournaments, even in a basketball-crazy state like North Carolina, where he became the all-time prep scoring leader. And then at the storied U. of North Carolina where he surpassed Michael Jordan's freshman scoring total. Then the Bulls' No. 7 overall draft pick started his professional career back home in Charlotte last October scoring 17 points off the bench in his first game, and then 25 the next game in a Bulls win in Memphis.

"My first two games I played really well," White recalled. "Then I hit reality. You go back and you keep asking yourself, ‘What was I doing the first two games?' It's a different level of competition. Your whole life you've always been the man wherever you've been at; everybody on this team has been the man wherever they've been at. Then you come here in the league and everybody can hoop. You're not always going to play good every night and there are going to be a lot of ups and downs."

By late December, White was beginning to really get down, wondering where were the ups.

He'd gone more than a month without scoring 20 points in a game. He couldn't remember the last time that occurred, or if it ever had. He played 30 minutes against Toronto and was scoreless. Zero! He'd never even imagined that. In a 12-game stretch, he failed to score more than one basket six times.

"That was my rookie wall," White said. "I was tired every day. I had no legs. The games felt like a blur, like every day was just passing by. My shooting coach, Chris Fleming, said I looked exhausted. I was struggling. I just kept fighting. The travel, the schedule, the amount of games you play, the ups and downs; there's a lot of adversity your rookie year. People warned me. De'AAron Fox told me from his rookie year. Me being me, I was like, ‘I'm going to be fine.' But until you really go through it, it's different from what you're used to."

The first gift for White was before Christmas in Detroit.

White has a strong family and business support group, and teammates were there. Shaquille Harrison kept encouraging White, who was three of 20 the previous three games just after his goose egg. "He kept saying, ‘I know it's going to be your game. You're going to hit five threes.'" White recalled. "I hit six threes (19 points in a victory). Him believing in me, then I played good in Orlando and the (four-day) Christmas break felt like I then could get going.

Coby shoots the rock against the Thunder in February.

"Then it was February," said White. "It was big for me, my confidence. Sometimes you have to prove other people wrong and sometimes you have to prove to yourself that you belong and February was that for me. Like I belong in this league and I feel I can be a force in the league for a long time."

White averaged 20.1 points, 4.1 assists and four rebounds in February on 41 percent three-point shooting. He had a record run of three consecutive games off the bench scoring at least 33 points with a season high 35. With White's team high 19 points off the bench Monday in the victory over Dallas, he's moved up to sixth among qualifying rookies in scoring and assists and is averaging 12.6 for the season.

Tuesday the NBA validated White's play and position in the NBA by naming him February Rookie of the Month. He is the first Bulls Rookie of the Month winner since Nikola Mirotic in March 2015.

"My rookie year has been humbling to me because you come in thinking I'm that dude," said White, who turned 20 last week. "Then you get a reality check. Some people don't, like Zion (Williamson). He's at a high level. Ja's (Morant) playing at a high level and has been doing that all year. So hat's off to them. They've been good. For me, I'm thankful for how my rookie year has gone. The reality check has been not to take anything for granted, continue to be humble and continue to be me."

Which is proving a positive for the Bulls with White seemingly headed toward a primary scoring role with the team. He's still coming off the bench and seems set in that role for this season, though he says it's fine with him.

Coby White scored a career-high 35 points against OKC in February.

"I feel like I'm getting better," White said. "It's taken some time to get used to and I feel like if I just keep doing what I'm doing things will work out for me, keep grinding and being willing to learn from anyone and everybody. I feel everything is starting come into place. The biggest thing is I had to learn about the ups and down and for me to stay focused on the next game. You can't dwell on the loss or bad performance.

"I don't pay that (starting) no mind," White said. "Right now I'm in a good spot. I'm getting a lot of minutes and that's all you can ask for as a rookie. So I'm thankful to that and to continue to get better. Starting is one of my least priorities right now. Sure, who wouldn't want to start in the NBA? One through 17 in this locker room wants to start. But I'm in a good spot, my head is in a good spot. I'm in a good space and I just want to continue to get better."

White has been improving, and some of the realization came with success. White came to understand the mirage can be in the result, sometimes, but never in the work.

"One game I hit seven threes and then I hit six threes and I was thinking I'm not going to shoot the ball that well every night," White admitted about a mid-November streak. "I realized I have to figure out other ways to impact the game, which was why February was big for me. I shot like 31 free throws (making 29 after attempting 13 in December). I wasn't getting to the line the first two months. And once I figured out how to draw fouls and get fouls, it really helps you a lot. It helps you find a rhythm and that was a big part of February, why I played so well.

"You get to the line, maybe shoot six free throws, knock them all down, you're six for six from the line," White calculated. "Make a couple of layups and hit a three, now you're at 14, 15 points, helping the team. I feel like all the good players in the league figure out how to get there."

It's a computation that the other North Carolina prep star, Jordan, figured out early in his career.

"The main thing early in the season I was shying away or trying to shoot a floater," said White. "I was thinking you can avoid (the contact), but then it's still a seven footer blocking your shot; guys are so long. I figured if I just go straight into the defender's chest, he's going to foul me or I'm going to get a layup. Worst case scenario, block it. But do it 10 times, maybe two times he'll block it. So you still are eight out of 10 and get a good result."

It's the subtly that keeps White on target to become a special player. No one really is scared in the NBA, though many use the word. Many, though, retreat from the contact. That White has sought it out to improve begins to put him in that rare air.

"Then you don't have to come out every night and make 10 shots," said White. "That's hard for anybody. Once I started to figure it out, it helped. But I still have a long way to go. Basketball wise, I'm more mature."

Coby White celebrates after hitting one of his six three-pointers against Washington in February.

Though it's been, as often mentioned, a process. And when you're in the NBA, as great as that life is, there's also the scrutiny no one else faces.

"It bothers you at night when you go home because you know what you're capable of and it's not showing in the results," said White. "It doesn't help in this job where everyone knows how you played. In other job fields, you go home and nobody knows what happened. Maybe your family knows. Now it's like everyone in the world knows. I don't let social media bother me, but it takes a toll on you, eventually."

White has dealt with everything remarkably well, becoming one of the true bright spots in a difficult Bulls season and seemingly still on the rise.

So there became time to let his hair down a bit.

White, most certainly noticed, arrived in Chicago with an unusually vertical grouping of hair. It's not so much like that anymore, though there wasn't one of those Samson moments for change.

"No," White smiles. "I just felt like I needed something different with my hair. I usually twist it once a year. I just didn't think the ‘fro was cool anymore. I got tired of waking up every morning and just looking at all this head of hair. It got on my nerves. So I decided to twist it and I liked it and I've been getting it ever since. It's definitely less maintenance."

Though Coby White has been all about the work.

nba-rookie-of-the-month-award-validates-coby-whites-growth

NBA Rookie of the Month award validates Coby White’s growth

nba-rookie-photo-shoot-with-coby-white

NBA Rookie Photo Shoot with Coby White

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