The Charlotte Hornets continue to be shorthanded as they take the court for their second game of the season on Friday night.
Kon Knueppel and Coby White are both absent again, and both have injury troubles that could keep them out longer.
The Hornets overcame that in their opener on Wednesday against the lowly Brooklyn Nets, but it’ll likely be a tougher task against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
You can read more about Knueppel’s injury timeline here.
This is what we know about White:
Why Isn’t Coby White Playing Tonight?
Coby White isn’t playing on Friday night due to injury.
He is dealing with a calf problem.
How Long is Coby White Out?
White has a lingering left calf strain, so it’s not quite clear how long he might be out.
White hurt his calf on Oct. 5 during training camp and didn’t participate in the rest of the preseason, so this injury has now stuck around for more than two weeks.
This season is due to have White playing on a new three-year, $74 million contract, but he hasn’t taken the floor with that deal yet for regular season action.
Coby White Stats
Hornets fans will be waiting for White to get on the floor because he closed last season for them on a blistering pace after being traded from the Chicago Bulls.
White didn’t start a game, and he played only 19 minutes per night, but he scored 15.6 points per game while averaging 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
He averaged more than 41 points per 100 possessions, which is a ridiculous rate.
With LaMelo Ball gone, White should get to see a ton of action.
He also shot 39.1% from 3-point range after joining the Hornets. If White can get anything close to that, he’ll be prolific.
White’s return to the Hornets is a fun storyline, because he attended Greenfield School in Wilson, North Carolina.
In high school, White was one of the most prolific high school basketball scorers of all time.
Now, his NBA journey has taken him back to his home state. He got a short run at it at the end of last season. He’ll surely be excited to get back on the floor and get back after it this season, too. His calf just needs to heal up a bit first, and once he and Knueppel are healthy, the Hornets could be potent.
Why Isn’t Coby White Playing Tonight? Hornets’ Injury Return Timeline for Star Guard