© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The report names Coby White as a player who has taken a 'serious leap' this season
The Chicago Bulls appear to be right back where they were last season—struggling to reach the .500 mark and battling for a spot in the NBA Play-in Tournament. Although the team looks more fluid and solid on both ends of the floor these days, their ceiling remains low. Add to that the injury woes the Bulls have sustained throughout the season, and it's no surprise that they find themselves in this predicament.
But amidst all the struggles, there have been some bright spots for the Bulls, namely Coby White. The fifth-year guard has taken a significant leap this season, garnering praise from teammates and opposing players.
Unlikely savior
The Bulls began the season with a 5-14 record and capped off November with a humiliating 27-point loss to the Boston Celtics. In addition, the team also learned that leading scorer Zach LaVine would be sidelined indefinitely because of a foot injury. The Bulls could have cratered at that point, but White stepped up to the challenge and led the team to a 10-5 record in December, keeping their heads above water.
“Between injury issues, ongoing challenges with ill-fitting pieces, and the threat of major roster changes always hanging over this team, Chicago's season could have gone to shambles at any moment. Coby White's ascension is both the biggest reason it didn't and the primary source of hope for this franchise moving forward,” Zach Buckley wrote on Bleacher Report.
Although the former Tar Heel played well last season, the team’s decision-makers weren’t convinced he could be the team’s next starting point guard and signed free agent guard Jevon Carter. However, White’s superb play shows that he is not only the right man for the job but also a player around whom the team can build.
“White surpassed Carter on the point guard pecking order before the regular season tipped and the No. 7 pick of the 2019 draft has since ascended to the top of the entire organization. He may not lead the team in floor time or touches just yet, but that feels inevitable given how much his game has already grown,” Buckley continued.
A star on the horizon
White has doubled his scoring this season and is doing it efficiently, making 45 percent of his shots, including 39 percent from beyond the arc. He’s also distributing the ball well while being mindful of the quality of the shots he takes. All told White has evolved into becoming a legitimate court general the Bulls need to the point where other teams are now sending double teams to keep him in check.
“White's scoring punch is more powerful than ever, but the strides he's made as a creator, distributor and defender have been just as critical to his rise. His plus-9.8 net differential is a 90th percentile mark across the league. He is clearly a rising star and could crack full-fledged stardom at any time,” Buckley said.
