Bulls guard Coby White knows it's time to start getting more defensive
White’s defensive numbers overall have slipped from last season, but there are also some positive steps he’s made in trying to develop into a two-way player.
Brandon Dill/AP
Save the congratulatory pats on the back.
Coby White really isn’t interested.
Sure, the first half of his season has been borderline All-Star caliber, if not the Bulls guard at least making a strong argument for the league’s Most Improved Player award. Just don’t run that stock by White right now because he’s not buying into any of it.
Despite a February in which White was 15th in scoring amongst all NBA guards (24.2 points per game), 22nd in rebounding (5.3) and 23rd in assists (6.2), while shooting 44.7% from three-point range over that time, there was still some serious boxes to check over the final 27 games for White to be satisfied with his individual 2023-24 campaign.
It’s obvious on what side of the ball many of them reside as well.
“It still needs work,” White said of his defense. “For me, to be honest, I felt like I was better (defensively) last year than this year. Obviously, this year I’m in a way different role than I was last year.
“I want to be a two-way player in this league, so for me continue to climb in the right direction, continuing to learn from guys like AC (Alex Caruso), T-Craig (Torrey Craig), the elite defenders in the league. Just as much as I’ve learned from DeBo (DeMar DeRozan) and Vooch (Nikola Vucevic) offensively, I’ve tried to learn just as much from AC, T-Craig on defense.”
The tutoring is far from complete.
White was correct about one fact – he was better last year with a 114.1 defensive rating in 2022-23. He currently sits near the bottom of the roster this season, sporting a dismal 118.6 rating.
That doesn’t mean he hasn’t made strides, but he’s also got to grab back onto the rope on that side of the ball if he wants to truly be a two-way player like he claimed.
“I’d say on the ball he’s been a lot better,” coach Billy Donovan said of White’s defense. “I think two years ago, year-and-a-half, he was a guy that was really targeted quite a bit by offenses, putting him in actions, trying to get him switching, trying to get him in space to isolate him. Not even so much in the post, but on the perimeter. I think he worked hard to be a more physical defender. He’s putting his body in plays, he’s much better in pick-and-rolls. The physical component is the biggest growth I’ve seen him make.”
Some of that is because of watching Caruso and Craig, but it also has to do with White physically changing his body to become stronger.
What the Bulls don’t want to see happen, however, is White say the right things about being a two-way player, but not putting the hustle behind that muscle to take care of the defensive side. They already have a one-dimensional guard in Zach LaVine, and they found out how difficult it’s been to try and get off his max contract since last summer when the trade rumors again resumed with the two-time All-Star.
Donovan didn’t seem too worried about that, especially since, to a man, White is considered an elite worker when it comes to adding to his game. And then there’s also some tangible proof in the form of that magical number of 10 that White currently holds, leading the team in charges drawn so far this season.
“He understands how important both sides are,” Donovan continued. “You’re seeing him do things defensively that have impacted winning. He’s making those plays by putting his body in plays. He’s taken pride in that because he knows those things are important, and winning is important. The competing part is important to him.”
NOTE: DeRozan was excused from the Tuesday evening practice to finish up his “Dinners with DeMar” mental health conversation series. He was expected back for the Wednesday practice. … Craig hurt his knee over the break and was headed for testing, according to Donovan.