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At the start of the season, one of the primary questions surrounding the Chicago Bulls was whether Coby White is a starting point guard in the NBA — let alone as a point guard. The uncertainty regarding what backcourt role White has contributed to the ongoing discussion about the Bulls’ need to acquire a point guard — Lonzo Ball being a name that has come up often.
White began the season as the starting point guard only to lose the role in mid-March. He switched spots with veteran Tomáš Satoranský, who joined Zach LaVine in the starting backcourt, and became the first guard off the bench.
A month later, White rejoined the starting lineup when LaVine first started missing games due to the league’s health and safety protocols. LaVine’s absence provided White and his teammates with the chance to step up and have a bigger impact on the game.
But LaVine’s return from his COVID-induced inactivity hasn’t prompted White to go back to the bench. White did well as a starter when the Bulls were without LaVine, and he has continued to do so as a starter with LaVine back.
Instead of a sophomore slump, White has been having a season of growth and learning that has turned him into an effective starting point guard for the Bulls.
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An Improved Starting Guard
In Chicago’s 114-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night, White posted a double-double of 17 points and 10 assists. The game continued his double-digit scoring streak to 14 games, but the more impressive feat is his 10 assists.
White dished out nine assists against the New York Knicks on April 28, but until Thursday, he hadn’t posted a double-digit assist game since January.
Following the win, White detailed to NBC Sports Chicago how he has progressed throughout the year, acknowledging the improvements he has made since becoming a starter again.
“I just feel like over the season I’ve gotten better and I’ve matured a lot,” White said. “Obviously, this stint I’ve been playing a lot better. But over the course of the season, I had a lot to learn.”
Furthermore, White mentioned that “continuing to stay focused and continuing to stay within yourself” was part of what he has learned while being an NBA point guard.
Since returning to the starting lineup, White has averaged 18.4 points and 5.9 assists. He has also been a more consistent player, and this hasn’t gone unnoticed by his team. Head coach Billy Donovan praised the second-year guard, saying he has “loved the way (White) has matured and grown.”
Embracing Change
Demotions in any career have an innate negative connotation. But when White lost his spot in the starting lineup earlier this season, he embraced the change. In fact, he admitted to NBC Sports Chicago that he agreed with the decision.
“Everybody knows I’m all about winning,” White said regarding being removed from the starting lineup. “If I felt like it was going to help the team, then I was just going to play my role. And I feel like that’s what I did. I didn’t pout or nothing. I respected the decision and I respected Billy for telling me upfront and bringing me to the office before he announced it to the team and whatnot.”
With the way White has been playing, the decision looks to be a good one. He not only is doing better as a starter compared to the start of the season, but he’s also on track to finish the season on a strong note — just as he did in his rookie season.
Before the pandemic postponed the NBA’s season last year, ultimately cutting the Bulls’ season short, White had been on a hot streak. He ended his rookie year with an 11-game double-digit scoring streak, averaging 23.7 points, and got his first career start in his last game of the season.
In addition to the lineup changes, White also had to adjust to the change of playing with the players that the Bulls acquired at the trade deadline — most notably Nikola Vučević.
Vučević, in addition to LaVine, garners enough attention from opponents that it naturally allows the other players on the floor to get more opportunities. It has been a contributing factor to the recent success White has been achieving.
This season’s growth hasn’t suddenly changed White into more of a traditional, playmaking, pass-first point guard, though.
His 13.1 field goal attempts per game this season so far isn’t far off from his average of 12.2 field goal attempts last season. But he has improved as a passer and playmaker. With two regular season games left, White is averaging 4.7 assists per game — up from 2.7 assists last season.
So even if White’s status as a legitimate point guard is unclear, he has grown enough as a player for him to work as a starting point guard for the Bulls.
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