Coby White All-Star? Bulls coach Billy Donovan sees path for the guard
Billy Donovan feels like Coby White continues taking strides to be considered an All-Star caliber player. But is there also more there for the versatile guard, like being a foundation piece to build around?
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
There’s blocks to this, and Bulls guard Coby White continues to stack them.
How high?
His coach wasn’t about to put a ceiling on it.
“Someone asked me the question about Alex (Caruso) being All-Star consideration,” Billy Donovan said on Wednesday. “I think Coby going forward, if he can continue to stay on this path, he’ll be a guy that will be considered for an All-Star Game. I think he’s got that kind of ability. I think the other thing that’s come out is his leadership. He’s got an ability to lead. And I would consider him still moving into his prime.”
Moving quickly if this season is any indication.
White entered the game against the Rockets third in scoring with 18.2 points per game, but also second in assists (4.9) and fifth in rebounding (4.5), while shooting 39.6% (third) from three-point range.
That was after a slow start to the season.
His 14 games in December? How about 22.6 points per game with 6.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists, while shooting 40.2% from three-point range?
But the number that spoke loudly to Donovan was seven charges taken by White so far this season.
“I think what happened early on is it’s really hard to be a leader when you’re one-dimensional, and he was a one-dimensional player,” Donovan said of White early in his career. “Because he’s become so multi-dimensional it’s a lot easier leading. When you’re in there rebounding and you’re defending, I mean he never took charges. He’s taking charges now. When you start doing all those things you have a much bigger voice where you can start holding other players accountable because you’re doing the things yourself, and you would expect others to do those along with you. All those things, he can be a great piece for us.”
What Donovan wasn’t going to predict, however, was how great? When discussing the Bulls the last few seasons, it’s always been about the “Big Three” of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. Because of the jump in his all around game, could White soon move into that category of foundation piece that an organization builds on?
“It’s hard when you put that tag on a player,” Donovan said. “I’m not saying he can or cannot do it, but to put the ‘foundation’ (title) on one guy’s shoulders that’s hard. I don’t think he would shy away from it. But I feel certain that he’ll continue to grow and get better and be a tremendous foundational piece of consistency for the organization. I really believe that.
“I do have the confidence he can provide the leadership that’s necessary in going into winning and what needs to happen.”
New look
With LaVine (right foot) and Vucevic (groin) both having their minutes restrictions taken off of them Wednesday, that meant both were back in the starting lineup.
Donovan knew a healthier roster would force some of the furniture to be moved around, and that meant Andre Drummond and Patrick Williams back to bench roles.
Not necessarily a bad thing for Williams, especially with the forward shooting 42.3% from three off the bench compared to 40.9% from three as a starter.
Quite the honor
The Bulls announced on Wednesday the tribute essays that will accompany the players entering the team’s Ring of Honor, and the people that wrote the essays, with the headliner being former President Barrack Obama writing Michael Jordan’s
Others included Paul Gasol writing Toni Kukoc’s, Magic Johnson writing Scottie Pippen’s, and lead singer of Pearl Jam Eddie Vedder writing Dennis Rodman’s.
Fans can read the essays on the team website, but they will eventually go in the Ring of Honor’s virtual experience.