Coby White discussion - PG 40, Sets New NBA Records Wins Rookie of the Month

[Michael Jackson]

can't wait until Stacey coins a nickname for him.
White Heat/White Lightning would be cool as an ode to the Velvet Underground tune, but that's too old for this generation.

That might have been a stretch even when that album was current. I love it though. I think Lou Reed solo is more generational recognizable than VU... with the exception of Heroin. Personally I would dig that name though

[econprof]

can't wait until Stacey coins a nickname for him.
White Heat/White Lightning would be cool as an ode to the Velvet Underground tune, but that's too old for this generation.

That might have been a stretch even when that album was current. I love it though. I think Lou Reed solo is more generational recognizable than VU... with the exception of Heroin. Personally I would dig that name though

After past couple of years, "Beginning to See the Light" might be an appropriate VU song for the team.

[skiz2]

I told you all that you would love him and his attitude. I had not seen him play off the ball in a while I had forgotten just how quick his catch and shoot release is.

I really really wish more Bulls games were on national TV this year.

[Flopper]

Coby's lateral quickness and awareness on defense have really impressed me the most. I definitely have concerns about his finishing and 3P shot consistency, but him being good defensively makes him an extremely viable rotation piece already even if he struggles to score at times.

Regarding player comps, I'm starting to get a young Jimmy Butler vibe from him in terms of his court awareness and reaction, lateral quickness, lower body strength, straight-line speed, and ability to play with intensity for extended minutes without any noticeable fatigue. He doesn't have the same explosiveness off 2 feet that allows Butler to be a force on the boards despite a limited reach, but obviously is the better shooter and more polished offensive player entering the league. Coby really is a unique player and it'll be interesting to what the finished product looks like.

[coldfish]

3-10 fg 5-8ft 12p
6-15fg 0-1ft 13p
10-22fg 0-1ft 24p
6-16fg 2-2ft 18p
10-14fg 3-3ft 29p

In case anyone cares:
35-77 45.5%fg
10-15 ft
96p
57.4%ts

Really up and down but overall, that ain't bad.

[Fl_Flash]

I think he's going to be a pleasant surprise overall this year.
He'll have really good games like last night where he was in a zone and other times he's going to look pretty awful. It comes with the territory.
I like that, for the most part, he's already taking good shots, within the flow of the offense (note: I wrote "for the most part"). He's a willing and active defender. Folks have complained about how high he dribbles. I see him use that to his advantage. He's got a lot of hesitation to his game. Good at keeping a defender off-balance with how he varies the speed and height of his dribble. He'll get his pocket picked a few times and figure out whom he can and can't get too cute with.

Overall, I like his demeanor on the floor. He seems like he's dialed in, but yet looks to be having fun out there. I hope he never loses his enthusiasm for the game. He also seems like a good kid. Someone you can root for and get behind. I'm glad he's part of my favorite basketball team.

[IliketheBullsNBearstoo]

whoof...some of you guys sure are going out on a limb here
Its like having Drose with a 3pt shot and defense.

The kids got moxie. That can rub off on the team and that is a great asset.

[madvillian]

Has the league ever seen a 2 way combo gunner that gets up 3s like Coby and can D up 1-3?

His value is tremendous if he can be a Ben Gordon closer shooter with defense 1-3.

they score in different ways but Klay Thompson level impact is probably his ceiling. Which is nice.

[Peelboy]

If we're already comping him to Ben Gordon, who put up 15/3/2 as a rookie with 40.5% from 3, that's a ridiculously good sign, since as noted a couple of times, he's a superior defender to Ben, and would be doing that at age 19 whereas Ben was a rookie at 21. That would be a ridiculously good player. One comp to me is Klay. Also came in older (21), and a deeper/purer shooter, but similar in terms of a potential 2-way SG providing strong D 1-3 and spacing the floor with the potential to go on solo offensive runs. Which makes Zach kind of our Steph (deeper range than Coby albiet not Steph range, worse defender than Coby ala Steph v Klay. Zach is a better close-in scorer but Steph a better shooter.

I'm starting to envision a potential lineup late-season or next year with Zach - Coby - Otto - Lauri - Wendell, providing shooting and multi-level scoring at 4 positions (Carter the potential exception), and strong D at 3 (Coby/Otto/Wendell) with Lauri and Zach hopefully average or below. That would be a bear to defend and would provide enough D to keep things in check. Sato becomes the supersub at 1-2-3, Dunn the defensive stopper, Kornet/Gafford the reserve bigs.

[sco]

I am thinking he end-up the season shooting 3's in the 33% range. Rook's hit a wall at some point.

I am most optimistic about his work ethic, coupled with his potential. That often works out well.

[HomoSapien]

The Bulls spent all last season tanking. For the most part, it was a horrible season to be a fan. In the mean time, we all had visions of Zion or even Ja Morant dancing around. On lottery night, we were all let down when Chicago dropped to 7.

Coby White was effectively Chicago's booby prize.

3-10 fg 5-8ft 12p
6-15fg 0-1ft 13p
10-22fg 0-1ft 24p
6-16fg 2-2ft 18p
10-14fg 3-3ft 29p

I have read all of the criticism and its valid. He isn't super athletic. He has short arms. He isn't a pure PG. He isn't going to be a top 5 player.

With all of this said, the Bulls have probably fell into yet another great draft pick. I wouldn't be surprised if at the #7 pick, they again got one of the top 3 players. Coby does a lot of things right. He is aggressive and confident. He tries on defense. He is willing to move the ball. He is big enough that he isn't going to get run over by anyone. His handle is pretty good. He can shoot and has the modern tools needed to get his shot off. He drives and takes contact.

There are going to be a lot of nights where he doesn't shoot well. We did this analysis on Ben Gordon over a decade ago. Shooters don't hit exactly their average every night. This isn't a Gordon situation though. Coby is a natural defender, has a better handle and is more aggressive in going to the rim. On the nights where he is off, he can still contribute.

Him being a bench gunner to start the year is a perfect role for him and its a role the Bulls happen to need badly.

I predicted playoffs months ago after free agency. I feel more strongly about that now. Outside of Lauri and maybe Wendell, just about everyone who matters this preseason has been near best case scenario. Coby, Lavine, Otto, Sato, Thad and Kornett look good versus expectations. Even Boylen is doing all the right things.

What I liked about Ben Gordon and now Coby White is that they both came in with so much confidence and the belief that they could be the best player in any game. I don't see that same type of mentality with Lauri or Carter, and I think that's going to be the difference in which of one of these players ends up becoming a true franchise cog for us.

[madvillian]

The Bulls spent all last season tanking. For the most part, it was a horrible season to be a fan. In the mean time, we all had visions of Zion or even Ja Morant dancing around. On lottery night, we were all let down when Chicago dropped to 7.

Coby White was effectively Chicago's booby prize.

3-10 fg 5-8ft 12p
6-15fg 0-1ft 13p
10-22fg 0-1ft 24p
6-16fg 2-2ft 18p
10-14fg 3-3ft 29p

I have read all of the criticism and its valid. He isn't super athletic. He has short arms. He isn't a pure PG. He isn't going to be a top 5 player.

With all of this said, the Bulls have probably fell into yet another great draft pick. I wouldn't be surprised if at the #7 pick, they again got one of the top 3 players. Coby does a lot of things right. He is aggressive and confident. He tries on defense. He is willing to move the ball. He is big enough that he isn't going to get run over by anyone. His handle is pretty good. He can shoot and has the modern tools needed to get his shot off. He drives and takes contact.

There are going to be a lot of nights where he doesn't shoot well. We did this analysis on Ben Gordon over a decade ago. Shooters don't hit exactly their average every night. This isn't a Gordon situation though. Coby is a natural defender, has a better handle and is more aggressive in going to the rim. On the nights where he is off, he can still contribute.

Him being a bench gunner to start the year is a perfect role for him and its a role the Bulls happen to need badly.

I predicted playoffs months ago after free agency. I feel more strongly about that now. Outside of Lauri and maybe Wendell, just about everyone who matters this preseason has been near best case scenario. Coby, Lavine, Otto, Sato, Thad and Kornett look good versus expectations. Even Boylen is doing all the right things.

What I liked about Ben Gordon and now Coby White is that they both came in with so much confidence and the belief that they could be the best player in any game. I don't see that same type of mentality with Lauri or Carter, and I think that's going to be the difference in which of one of these players ends up becoming a true franchise cog for us.

I dunno different skillsets. At least defensively and banging wise Carter Jr has showed a lot of alpha tendencies. Lauri is another story. The one time he went alpha for three weeks he apparently over exerted himself and had to be put on the shelf.

we'll see.

[The Evidence]

First time since Rose + BG that we can see a dynamic backcourt again...

I always wish we coulda seen that tandem for a few more years (less pressure on Rose to score coulda helped with longevity maybe?), but time ran its course with BG and his steep decline, so it was a short window anyways.

Now we have something similar again with 2 proper Scorers in the backcourt, but unlike Rose + BG, both are in the same age window, and both Lavine and White can catch and shoot, whereas BG was the change of pace scorer with Rose initiating for the most part.

Lavine and White could be far deadlier, even though neither has a Rose-type of ceiling.

[NDave79]

I am really excited about Cobe, but I am in zero rush to try and get him in the starting lineup; Like maybe even for multiple years. Between Lavine, OPJ, Lauri and in my opinion in the near future, WCJ, that’s a lot of mouths to feed.

Sato being the low usage, intelligent game manager makes him the perfect fit now and for a long time imo to play with starters.

Even if Cobe becomes awesome, I hope he can buy into the “Manu” role. Not necessarily for his whole career, But for as long as this current team is constructed as it is.

[sco]

I am really excited about Cobe, but I am in zero rush to try and get him in the starting lineup; Like maybe even for multiple years. Between Lavine, OPJ, Lauri and in my opinion in the near future, WCJ, that’s a lot of mouths to feed.

Sato being the low usage, intelligent game manager makes him the perfect fit now and for a long time imo to play with starters.

Even if Cobe becomes awesome, I hope he can buy into the “Manu” role. Not necessarily for his whole career, But for as long as this current team is constructed as it is.

Totally agree. The nice thing about Sato is that he is so versatile, where you can have line-ups with Coby, Zach and Sato out there together with a couple of defenders like Thad and WCJ.

[chefo]

Actually, I'm waiting on the Sato, Coby, Zach, Otto, Lauri lineups... Sato, so it's not complete chaos, Lauri because you need at least somebody tall in there (and he can set screens on ball and off ball) and you can't leave him open anywhere on the court, Otto--because he's almost as tall as WCJ and has one of the purest strokes out there, and Z&C to run around and cause controlled mayhem. If that lineup gels, they'd be insane on O and adequate on D--in other words, the Bulls' 'Death Lineup' like the Dubs, before Durant, with Dray as the C and Barnes as the PF.

[NDave79]

Actually, I'm waiting on the Sato, Coby, Zach, Otto, Lauri lineups... Sato, so you it's not complete chaos, Lauri because you need at least somebody tall in there (and he can set screens on ball and off ball) and you can't leave him open anywhere on the court, Otto--because he's almost as tall as WCJ and has one of the purest strokes out there, and Z&C to run around and cause controlled mayhem. If that lineup gels, they'd be insane on O and adequate on D--in other words, the Bulls' 'Death Lineup' like the Dubs, before Durant, with Dray as the C and Barnes as the PF.

Yeah, I was thinking about this as well. I think in general, the Cobe , Zach, Sato combo as the 1,2,3 (With Sato being the game manager on offense) has the potential to be deadly on the offense end. There’s so much shooting, scoring ability, athleticism, and just skills in general, without having to really give up much size on the defensive end. I think it could work well with a lot of combinations of different players playing the 4 and 5 spots.

[Axolotl]

I've liked White more than I thought I would. He's been more poised, more in control and less herky-jerky hectic. The biggest plus has been his defence, way exceeding my expectations there.

On the downside, very little playmaking on show, but that's connectd to my expectations that he would be a point guard, and clearly he is not. So I think it's more about me adjusting my expectations than Coby White adjusting his game. (Also the fact that I can adjust my expectations, whereas I can't do anything about how Coby White plays.)

He gets the game, that much is clear by now already. He plays within the flow of the game, not kowtowing anyone. Looks like his floor is a solid contributor. About his ceiling - well, doesn't look like he is going to blow the roof off, but what do I know.

[bledredwine]

It’s Coby time!!

[IliketheBullsNBearstoo]

The play making will come. 1. He needs to get acclimated to his teammates. 2. Once teams realize they need to double him he will have more opportunities to play make.

He's not a prototypical play making PG. I know some of you guys want to mold him into that because you want to plug him in at PG and that is what everyone expects out of your starting PG. But it doesn't matter, he is a basketball player and he looks like he can be a great addition to this team whatever he develops into.