"Just go through it" - Coby White explains personal response to counter past criticisms

White details what he did when he encountered criticisms from the past.

© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Before he enjoyed the acknowledgment of many in his recent performances for the Chicago Bulls, Coby White got a lot of criticism. In his first two seasons as a Bull, Coby obtained a reputation as the franchise’s point guard of the future as his numbers and growth significantly increased.

But after that, he eventually saw his numbers decline as his role diminished. White averaged less and proceeded to reap negativities and trade speculations from various circles.

But upon striking a long-term commitment with the Bulls by inking a $36M three-year deal, White found new beginnings with the franchise that chose him from the start. Now, he is returning the favor by helping Chicago to improve after a sloppy start.

Just keep going

For White, the only rule he followed amid the outside noises was to keep moving forward. Eventually, it truly worked as he solidified the Bulls’ promising piece. 

‘‘That’s what you have to do, just go through it,’’ White said. ‘‘Put your head down and work, control what you can control and try and get through it.

‘‘Yeah, it’s very hard, but I’m a big believer in my faith. I feel there’s a plan for everybody. That’s what I leaned on when I was going through it.’’

Heed the call

Though he went alongside the Bulls’ downslide at the start of the season, White rose to the occasion when Zach LaVine went down due to foot issues.

After a horrifying 19-game starting stretch, White helped the Bulls to carve an impressive four-game win skid. Throughout this positive run, he suddenly showed his worth by averaging 24.3 points, 6.5 boards, and 6 assists.

OKAY COBY.@NBCSChicago | @CobyWhite pic.twitter.com/T0HLanYu1k

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 7, 2023

Looking back at the media's coverage of his struggles, Coby can just consider these as blessings in disguise to improve his game for the better.

‘‘I’m the type of dude that’s like: ‘OK, he said this about me. Oh, that guy said that about me.’ . . . But you know what? Sometimes people on the internet or the media, you guys, you speak the truth. There were times I would look at it and say: ‘I’ve got to get better at this. He’s right; I’ve got to fix this.’”

Patrick Williams explains the sudden aggressive turnaround that aided the Bulls' hot streak