Getty UNC's guard Coby White is projected to be a first round pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
North Carolina point guard Coby White is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2019 NBA draft. White has played a large role in the Tar Heels success and is a big reason UNC fans are eyeing a deep March Madness run.
White’s strength is on the offensive end where is averaging 16.2 points a game while shooting 37.8 percent from the three-point line. ESPN has White as their No. 22 ranked prospect if he were to declare for the draft.
A shot-maker by trade, White’s low release point was bothered by a host of defenders in a high-profile matchup against Duke. White is having a strong statistical season and has become a first-round favorite among some scouts, but he has his drawbacks. White was more of a catch-and-shoot guard at the high school level, and that’s really where he has found success this season, not yet showing that he is the most savvy pick-and-roll player.
Here is a look at our latest NBA draft profile on White.
Coby White NBA Draft Profile
STRENGTHS: White is a pure-scorer and has the ability to score in buckets when he is in the zone. White dropped 34, 33 and 28 points all in the last month and appears to be hitting his stride heading into March Madness. White is a solid long-range shooter as his 37.8 three-point percentage attests. NBA scouts would like to see that number a little higher given the NBA three is further back. White has a chance to play both guard positions.
247 Sports’ Jerry Meyer called White the second-best NBA prospect on the court when Duke and North Carolina played. It is worth noting Zion Williamson was out.
“I think there’s a lot of discussion after (RJ Barrett),” Meyer said, per 247 Sports. “I’m a big Coby White guy, I really love Coby. I’m not as huge on Cam Reddish as an NBA player as most people are.”
WEAKNESSES: There is no doubt White is a scorer, but the question remains what else he brings to the table. The majority of White’s buckets come from long-range and there are questions as to how his game will adjust to NBA offenses. White has good size at 6’5″ but will need to get stronger as he makes the jump to the pro level.
SUMMARY: White projects to be a mid-to-late first round pick heading into the NCAA tournament. The North Carolina guard will likely start out as an instant offensive player coming off the bench. The question is whether that is his ceiling or if he can evolve into a starting caliber NBA guard. White provides good value for teams picking at the bottom half of the first round.