Billy Donovan on 2024 All-Star bids of DeMar DeRozan and Coby White: "More than worthy of consideration for it by everybody"

Both Deebo and Coby didn't make it to Indy for this year's All-Star festivities.

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Although this year's 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend is now officially in the books, there's still some pondering around the Chicago Bulls about the franchise's failed bid to send a representative to this year's ASW.

For the first time since 1980, no player associated with the Bulls has participated in all of the All-Star Weekend’s events. Two of the team's most prominent bets, DeMar DeRozan and Coby White, came up short of making it to the All-Star Game.

A disappointing exclusion

For coach Billy Donovan, it would've been great for the Bulls that this year's event was able to feature either Deebo or Coby, considering their stellar efforts for the team.

Despite leading the Bulls with 22.7 points and 5.7 assists while obtaining significant fanfare from the past three fan voting returns, Deebo wasn't able to carve his seventh career All-Star nod. The same disregard went for Coby, who had been savoring a year of revelation.

“You’re always going to have a group of guys that you can talk about (how they) should be in the All-Star Game,” Donovan said, via Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “And sometimes they’re not and that’s unfortunate. I don’t put any stock into it, good or bad.

“I always want our guys to be recognized because I do think that Coby (White) and DeMar (DeRozan) have had really good years and they played really well. Those guys certainly were more than worthy of consideration for it by everybody.”

Optimistic in Coby's star potential

While he couldn't be more disappointed about the absence of Bulls representation in Indianapolis, Donovan still holds a promising aspiration in Coby's ascension as one of the league's brightest stars for years to come. 

This season continues to serve as a perfect platform that could catapult Coby to All-Star attention in the future as he is averaging career-best in points (19.6), assists (5.3), rebounds (4.3), field goal shooting (46.3%) and three-point rate (39.7%) — submitting an early candidacy for the Most Improved Player award.

“I think he’s pretty close,” Donovan said of White’s star status. “Now, I’m biased because I’m with him every night and he’s played unbelievable and he’s really made a huge impact. I think he’s got that kind of ability to be able to do that.

This sequence of moves from Coby White 😳pic.twitter.com/6u9tZ5mJwV

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 15, 2024

“He’s kind of moving into the middle part of his career and he’s done nothing every year but get better. My anticipation is that will continue to happen.”

Causes for concern for the Chicago Bulls heading to the season's final stretch