Coby White

Central Notes: Cunningham, Antetokounmpo, Bulls, White

January 7th, 2024 at 7:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Amid this dismal Pistons season, Cade Cunningham has been one of the few bright spots, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press notes.

Cunningham is averaging 23.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1% overall, 33.3% on threes, and 87% at the free throw line. Cunningham missed most of last season due to shin surgery.

“I’m steadily growing,” Cunningham said. “I feel the growth. Reaching those different markers, having 40-point games, something that I had never done. It gives you something to look at to feel it out. Sometimes that’s all it takes, is just feeling it for the first time. And then you know what it takes.”

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Giannis Antetokounmpo often offers blunt assessments when the Bucks aren’t playing well and Saturday was a case in point. After losing to Houston 112-108, the superstar forward ripped his team’s defensive mindset. “Offense gonna be there some nights and some nights it’s not going to be there. Your defensive effort, though, has got to be there. And defensively I don’t think it was not there. There was no pride,” he said, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Guys were just driving the ball, straight line drive, getting to the paint, overhelping, shooting threes, offensive rebounds. There was nothing. This was not who we are. “
Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic returned from injuries on Friday. Now, the Bulls hit a soft spot in their schedule and need to take advantage of it, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “We’ve had stretches where we’ve played really good as a team when everybody is out there,” guard Alex Caruso said. “There’s no reason with those two guys, who have each been in the league for a decade-plus, we can’t do what we want to do. It’s nothing out of their capabilities.”
Bulls guard Coby White has put himself in the discussion for the Most Improved Player award. White believes the next step in his development is becoming more of an off-the-ball threat, Jim Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “I need to watch more film on moving without the ball, getting into those open areas,” he said “(Caruso) does that really well and JC (Jevon Carter) does it really well, finding open areas, knowing drives and where to be. I want to play off those closeouts because I feel that’s where I’m most impactful, playing off the closeouts with either catch-and-shoots or driving it and get my play-making involved.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, Antetokounmpo Named Players Of Month

January 4th, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for December, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Gilgeous-Alexander led his team to a 10-3 record during the month while averaging 31.9 points, 6.6 assists and 3.1 steals per game. Antetokounmpo carried the Bucks to an 11-2 mark in December, posting averages of 32.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists per night.

Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Kawhi Leonard were the other nominees in the West.

Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Donovan Mitchell, Julius Randle, Coby White and Derrick White were the other nominees in the East.

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, White, LaVine

December 31st, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With two starters and one reserve sidelined due to long-term injuries, Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has assumed a bigger responsibility offensively, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, center Nikola Vucevic and reserve forward Torrey Craig are all on the shelf, which has compelled DeRozan to play an average of 38.7 minutes per game this month.

DeRozan suggested that his veteran awareness has helped him find moments in a game where he can tactically rest, even when he’s on the hardwood.

“Me just knowing when a TV timeout is coming,” DeRozan said. “Me knowing a foul is going to happen at some point. Me understanding if you need to tie your shoe, it’s a lot of little things that go into it. If you’re not in the penalty, you can take a foul… Playing so long, you kind of understand when a stoppage is going to come and take advantage of those moments. When a timeout comes, sit there until that two minutes, 30 seconds is up. Just take advantage of the little gaps when you can because you know you want to be out there.”

Head coach Billy Donovan acknowledges he is somewhat worried about the mileage he’s putting on the 34-year-old.

“I’m concerned about that,” Donovan said. “I mean, he’s great. I talk to him all the time. But it’s kind of the situation we’ve been in with Torrey out, Vooch out and Zach out. I want to be mindful of that and always talk and communicate with him. He has played a lot of minutes and I probably need to look at that.”

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Bulls point guard Coby White praised his teammates for their resilient resurgence following the team’s nadir thus far this season, a 124-97 blowout loss to the Celtics on November 28, writes Johnson in a separate piece. “At that moment, when adversity hit and we were at our lowest this season, we could’ve all grew apart,” White said. “Instead of doing that, we all came together. I think that contributes to how we played in the month of December.” Chicago has gone 9-5 this month. In December, White is averaging 22.6 PPG on .469/.402/.815 shooting, along with 6.4 RPG and 5.7 APG, across 14 bouts.
Billy Donovan revealed that LaVine, still dealing with right foot inflammation, could participate in contact practice for the Bulls late next week, Johnson writes in an additional article. “If (his recovery) continues to go like it’s going, I think that’s a very, very strong possibility,” Donovan said. After a two-game East Coast road trip, Chicago will return home for a game against the Hornets on Friday. “He has responded well [to treatment],” Donovan added.
In case you missed it, the present trade market for LaVine, a maximum-salaried former All-Star, remains fairly limited.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Vucevic, White, DeRozan

December 28th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Billy Donovan provided a health update on Zach LaVine after Wednesday’s practice, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. LaVine has been sidelined since November 28 due to inflammation in his right foot, but Donovan said he responded well to recent physical activity, which added “light cutting” on Tuesday to his regimen of shooting and straight-ahead running. The Bulls will continue ramping up LaVine’s workload, but there’s still no target date for him to resume playing.

“Even if he passes that part of it — and I’m not sure how many days of cutting it will be — it’s going to be more loads and more intensity,” Donovan said. “A lot of it for him right now is going to be structured, where it’s ‘cut here and cut here.’ The next step after that would be to have him start randomly cutting and moving without it being a directional workout.”

The Bulls are continuing to search out trade opportunities for LaVine, but his injury has complicated that process, with a report Wednesday indicating that the market is “still barren.” Johnson hears that the front office is prepared for the possibility that it may have to keep LaVine until the offseason and renew trade discussions then. Donovan said LaVine has remained an active part of the organization and has been supporting teammates while he has been injured.

“I think he’s a lot happier now because at least he can get on the court and run and he can do some shooting and work out,” Donovan said. “That’s probably the most frustrating part. These guys are so wired and trained to work out and work on their shooting, work on their game all the time. When that gets taken away from you for a period of time, you want to get back in the gym and start working out. He understands there has to be a process that he has to go through to keep ramping up. But he’s been in good spirits.”

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Donovan told reporters that center Nikola Vucevic, who is sidelined with a groin injury, is “progressing and feels better today than he did yesterday,” Johnson tweets. Donovan confirmed that the team hopes to have Vucevic back within seven to 10 days.
One of the most pleasant surprises of this season has been Coby White‘s development into more of a complete player, Johnson adds in a separate story. The fifth-year guard has been in a shooting slump lately, but he’s finding other ways to contribute. “A couple years ago, I always determined how I played off making or missing shots. I feel like that’s showing how much I’m working on my game. I’m showing I can impact the game without hitting threes,” White said. “I didn’t want to be one looked at just as guy who could get hot. Whether it’s getting downhill, getting to the basket or playmaking, I’m trying to impact the game.”
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times lays out an argument for why the Bulls should reach a contract extension with DeMar DeRozan, outlining his positive impact on the team’s young talent.

Bulls Notes: Vucevic, Defense, White, LaVine

December 26th, 2023 at 6:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zach LaVine and Torrey Craig are already sidelined indefinitely by injuries. Bulls starting center Nikola Vucevic will now miss some games due to a strained left groin, coach Billy Donovan told NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson and other media members.

Vučević had appeared in every game so far this season after not missing a single contest in 2022/23. The team is hopeful that his absence is in the range of four-to-10 days.

“A lot of it is going to be how he responds to rehab,” Donovan said. “He obviously was pretty sore after (Saturday’s) game and obviously over Christmas. He came in (Tuesday) for treatment.”

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The Bulls’ defense had improved during their 8-4 stretch, prior to Tuesday’s matchup against the Hawks. During the 12-game span, they had a defensive rating of 113.4, sixth-best in the NBA. Chicago finished fifth in defensive rating last season. “It’s amazing what happens in basketball when you box out, don’t foul, don’t turn the ball over, get back in transition,” guard Alex Caruso said. “You tend to win ballgames.”
Coby White is having a career year across the board and he has become a focal point for opposing defenses. Donovan is impressed with how White is handling the added attention, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times writes. “He’s been guarded by a lot of different really good defenders, but I think the one thing that Coby has been able to do besides the scoring piece is he’s been able to play for his teammates, getting into the paint, doing other things, and maybe figuring out how he’s being guarded, how the game is going, and where he can kind of inject himself,” Donovan said.
As for LaVine, Donovan said he’s started “light cutting” as of Tuesday, Johnson tweets. Thursday marks three weeks of the estimated three-to-four week timeline until he’s re-evaluated. He’s dealing with inflammation in his right foot.

Bulls Notes: Hot Streak, LaVine, White, Terry, Phillips

December 21st, 2023 at 9:05am CST by Arthur Hill

There are no more calls to break up the Bulls, who improved to 7-3 in their last 10 games by beating the Lakers on Wednesday night, writes Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. Chicago has moved back into the race for a play-in spot with its recent hot streak after stumbling out of the gate with a 5-14 start.

The improvement coincides with the foot inflammation that knocked Zach LaVine out of the lineup, although no one connected with the team wants to say that directly. As Greenberg notes, there are several reasons for the success, such as DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic serving as the foundation of the offense, Alex Caruso becoming team MVP with his all-around play, and Coby White emerging as the star point guard the organization has been lacking since Lonzo Ball‘s injury.

L.A. is considered one of the prime landing spots for LaVine, and Greenberg suggests both teams might benefit from a trade. However, coach Billy Donovan dismissed the idea that the Bulls are better without LaVine and said he still has a role on the team.

“I think the biggest thing for us collectively is we get down the floor and flatten the defense out with everybody,” Donovan said. “I think that’s one of the things we’ve been preaching all along. I think Zach can play any style. For us, with him coming back in, I think he fits into how we’re trying to play.”

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With White shooting a career-high 42.6% from long distance this season, Caruso is campaigning for him to be invited to the three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, adds Greenberg, who states that White’s recent play may put him in the All-Star conversation as well. “Yeah, I mean, I don’t like all the attention,” White said. “And that’s probably part of the reason why (Caruso) did it. Because he knows it makes me kind of uncomfortable.”
The Bulls’ success is a result of playing at a faster tempo, says K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Whether it’s related to LaVine’s absence or not, the players have been more aggressive about pushing the ball upcourt over their last 10 games and creating more scoring opportunities in transition. “We’re all super unselfish guys. I feel like the ball is moving at a high rate,” White said. “The main thing we’ve been doing these last however many games is just playing a lot faster. Even on made baskets, we’re getting the ball out quick and trying to get up the floor, making us hard to guard so we can play less in the halfcourt.”
Donovan expects Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips to have increased roles in the wake of Torrey Craig‘s plantar fascia injury, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Terry has been the main beneficiary so far, playing 21 minutes against the Lakers.

Bulls Notes: Locker Room Vibe, Williams, White, LaVine

December 19th, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have gone 6-3 in their last nine games, including an impressive victory over Philadelphia on Monday, and the vibe around the team has changed dramatically since its 5-14 start, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.

“Our energy has been different,” center Nikola Vucevic said. “We’re playing with a much more aggressive mindset at both ends. We’re playing for each other, sharing the ball, playing at a faster pace. That has brought out the best in everybody. We’ve been enjoying playing. Each night it’s a different guy stepping up. All of us are supporting each other. You can just feel that.”

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Patrick Williams has shown improvement during the recent stretch, Johnson notes, including a 25-point, seven-rebound, four-assist performance against Miami on Saturday. However, the Bulls’ staff is still looking for more consistency from Williams, who is headed to restricted free agency after the season. “He’s obviously had some great moments. I think it all starts with the force he plays with. And there’s so much he can get into the game on a nightly basis whether he’s making or missing shots,” coach Billy Donovan said. “For him, the offensive rebounding, running the floor, attacking the basket, deflections defensively, the consistency of that is what’s important. He’s capable.”
Coby White, a lottery pick in 2019, has finally established himself as a starter this season, averaging career highs in points (17.5) and assists (4.9) per game. He says he got through rough patches during his career via his work ethic. “I wouldn’t ever say I had a low point. I would say I had points where I thought I was better than how I was playing,” he told Johnson. “But I didn’t look at it as low points because the one thing that’s been consistent in my life is every time adversity hits, I just always tell myself I’m going to get through it by working. I’m the type of dude where if things aren’t going my way, I just go to the gym and work on it constantly. That makes me feel better and doesn’t allow me to get to any low points.”
Zach LaVine remains sidelined by inflammation in his right foot but he’s a steady presence around the team, according to Johnson. LaVine, the subject of trade rumors since early in the season, traveled with the team on its three-game road swing and has been in good spirits. He’s also been talking with Donovan on a daily basis. “He really, really misses the game,” Donovan said. “The other thing is he has really been great on the bench, in the locker room pulling for those guys. Whenever he’s able to get back with us, he’s always been a good team guy.”
Torrey Craig will be out at least eight weeks due to a foot injury. Get the details here.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, White, DeRozan, Craig, Vucevic

December 18th, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Young Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is using the recent growth of fellow Chicago guard Coby White as motivation to hopefully galvanize his own development, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

With Zach LaVine sitting out and White now firmly ensconced as the club’s starting point guard, the fifth-year guard has made the most of his extended opportunity. Since LaVine first sat on November 30, White has been averaging 25.6 PPG on .493/.494/.811 shooting splits, 6.5 APG, 6.3 RPG, and 0.9 SPG. Chicago has gone 5-3 in that span. The team will play tonight against the Sixers, and White is no doubt looking to have another big game.

“It’s motivation because I understand what he went through his second, third, fourth year,” Dosunmu said. “Me seeing that front-hand, that gives me motivation to keep going, gives me motivation to rise to the occasion. We push each other to be great. When I see him doing what he’s doing now, it’s nothing but giving me excitement.”

Dosunmu and White both inked new deals over the summer to remain with Chicago. In 25 games per season, the third-year Dosunmu is averaging 7.0 PPG on a .479/.354/.708 slash line, along with 2.0 RPG and 1.9 APG.

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Bulls All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan is excited for the positive direction his club has taken of late, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. DeRozan particularly remains high on his head coach, Billy Donovan. “I tell a lot of the young players that you don’t really know what you have,” DeRozan said. “To have such a great personable coach, hard-working coach in Billy, don’t ever take that for granted because it’s not always greener on the other side.” It’s encouraging for Bulls fans that DeRozan is this enthused. He’s extension-eligible this season, though if he and Chicago can’t reach an agreement, the 34-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Veteran reserve Chicago forward Torrey Craig is missing tonight’s road contest against the Sixers with a sore right heel, per Johnson (Twitter link). Donovan has indicated that Bulls medical staffers will examine the heel when the team returns home.
Recently extended Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has also improved of late with LaVine out, but Cowley writes in another piece that the team could begin to look quite different after January 15, when several players inked to offseason deals will become trade-eligible. That is a fact of which Vucevic is keenly aware. At 10-17, the club is currently out of the play-in picture. “We’ve got to start doing this,” Vucevic said. “The last few weeks, yes, it feels like we’re back on track for something positive, but it has to continue. We know we have possibly a limited time, but we’re aware of it. Maybe that awareness is what’s been changing things, too.’’

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Caruso, Young Players, White

December 9th, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Bulls guard Zach LaVine said he had originally hoped to return to action on Wednesday or Friday, but his injured foot didn’t respond well when he attempted to ramp up his work, so he and the team decided to take a more cautious approach. The Bulls ruled out LaVine for an additional three or four weeks and he received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection.

“I’ve been trying to train and do active rehab to get back out there. That didn’t work,” LaVine said. “It had a little bit of a—I don’t want to say setback—but it got more sore to where it didn’t make sense to try to play on it continuously. Rest for a little bit. Get some PRP. Hopefully that will do some good things for it. Continue to promote that healing and check back in a week or two and see where you’re at.”

LaVine added that his absence has “nothing to do” with the trade speculation swirling around him and that he’s been happy to see the team string together some wins without him. He’s hoping that success continues and that he’s able to contribute to it once he returns.

“Am I still a part of this team and very committed? Yeah. I got a Bulls jersey on. I committed here. And for as long as I’ll be here, I’ll still support and love Chicago and go out there and play my heart out for those guys. That’s never going to change,” he said. “There’s going to be different stories and narratives. And there’s going to be off-the-court stuff that’s going to be dealt with. For me, as long as I’m here with a Bulls jersey on, I’m going to play as hard as I can for my teammates and continue to be the best player and teammate I can be. Simple as that.”

Here’s more on the suddenly surging Bulls:

The Bulls won a fourth consecutive game on Friday night, defeating the Spurs in San Antonio, but Alex Caruso left the game in the fourth quarter due to a left ankle injury and didn’t return, Johnson notes for NBC Sports Chicago. The severity of that injury is to be determined, but Caruso had to be helped to the locker room by the team’s training staff.
Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic takes a look at some of the young players who are getting more opportunities with LaVine sidelined, including guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.
Despite the Bulls’ four-game winning streak since LaVine went down, no one in the locker room is suggesting the team is better without the two-time All-Star, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s hard to replace the talent that Zach has out there on the court with one person,” Caruso said. “We’ve done a good job of playing-by-committee. It’s also a different look when (LaVine’s) not out there compared to when he is, but I’ve played in plenty of games with him now, nearly two-and-a-half years, and when he’s locked in and playing good we’re a really good basketball team.”
In a separate story for the Chicago Sun-Times, Cowley examines how White has responded to outside criticism – including from Cowley himself – and has continued to make major strides, proving those critics wrong. “I know what you said, others have said,” White told the Sun-Times. “I feel like I’ve got thick skin, but the main thing for me is I wanted to pay attention to it just so I can feel it. Feel it for me, and then to get through it. … You know what, sometimes people on the internet or the media, you guys, you speak the truth. There were times I would look at it and say, ‘I got to get better at this, he’s right. I’ve got to fix this.’ I never tried to shy away from any of it because that’s not my personality. You have to look at it all head on, take it for what it is, not let it define you, but use it.”

Central Notes: Weaver, Crowder, White, DeMar

December 3rd, 2023 at 1:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pistons are currently mired in a league-worst 17-game losing streak. If Detroit isn’t able to somewhat right this ship, even while clearly headed for the lottery this year, general manager Troy Weaver should be fired so a new front office can thrive, opines Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press.

Windsor writes that the Pistons are currently on a 7.5-game win pace for the rest of the season, which would shatter the current record for a full 82-game NBA slate.

Given that the club will have lots of space under the league’s projected salary cap next summer, through which it could add veterans and make significant transactions to improve, Windsor submits that Weaver should not be in a decision-making role with the Pistons at that juncture — barring some kind of growth this year.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Following a November 14 surgery to correct a partial tear in his left adductor, Bucks reserve forward Jae Crowder is on the mend, having resumed individual on-court work within the last week, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “When I touched the ball, I was like, ‘All right, I’m getting close,’” Crowder said. The 33-year-old combo forward was a solid two-way contributor for Milwaukee when healthy this year. In his nine healthy games, he’s logging 8.1 PPG on .532/.416/.583 shooting splits, along with 3.9 RPG, 1.7 APG and 0.8 SPG.
Bulls starting point guard Coby White is enjoying an excellent start to the season for a struggling 7-14 Chicago club. His willingness to shoot from distance early and often has played a part in the team’s current two-game mini-win streak, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The 6’5″ guard is averaging 15.0 PPG on .427/.403/.846 shooting splits, 4.2 APG, 3.1 RPG and 0.9 SPG. He’s connecting on a career-best 40.3% of his career-most 7.1 three-pointers per night.
Bulls All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan seems to be rediscovering the passing game that he developed during his three-year stint with the Spurs, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. To wit, he notched a season-most 10 dimes during Chicago’s surprise 124-118 win over the Pelicans on Saturday. “Just being unselfish, pushing the pace,” DeRozan said of his — and the team’s — approach to the victory.

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