Reviewing Chicago Bulls Coby White’s rookie season

Defense

Coby White could become a great defender; with White’s speed and his downhill offense using and his 6’4 frame, White has the ability to switch between guards and some forwards if the other team is running a smaller line-up.

The issues come up more when you look at his wingspan of just 6’5″ when compared to Marcus Smart, who at the same height has a 6’9″ wingspan. Additionally, he is on the lighter side, but so are most 20-year-olds in the NBA are so it’s more so a current issue then a future one.

If White had a few more pounds on him it would allow him to be a more flexible defender with taller players on switches, this could also help his offense if he put that speed and size together to hold his own amongst the trees as Russell Westbrook does.

Evaluating defensive IQ is unfair to judge at this stage of his early career, people seem to forget these players from College play roughly half a year then a thrown into the NBA. With White’s slowly improving playmaking and his smart shot selection, it shouldn’t be out of the question he can be a solid team defender.

This example stood out to me as Brandon Ingram was smothered by two defenders and had picked up his dribble, White is gravitating towards Ingram even when his assignment on the fast break is J.J. Redick.

The unawareness of knowing where Redick was as well as seeing Ingram was in a Bulls sandwich is a red flag. Redick missed the shot but he was wide open,  those are just things for White to watch over and correct in film while the NBA playoffs happen.