For the fourth year in a row, Coby White had to face the Miami Heat in the Play-In. The first three times, he was a Chicago Bull, and they lost to Miami every time. This year? He's a Charlotte Hornet, and they managed to beat the Heat. It honestly must have been a huge weight off his shoulders.
It all started in 2023. The Bulls made the Play-In Tournament for the first time in the Eastern Conference bracket as the 10th seed. They would face and defeat the Toronto Raptors, moving them to the next round, where they took on the Heat to see who would make the playoffs as the eighth seed.
Ultimately, the Bulls lost, knocking them out of the postseason. Oddly enough, the Heat continued their rampage all the way to the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic led his team to victory and brought Denver its first NBA championship. It was a hell of a run for Miami
What the Bulls didn't know was this scenario would keep happening. In the 2024 and 2025 Play-In Tournaments, Chicago would take on Miami in the game to decide the eighth seed in the East and would subsequently lose to the Heat. Well, one Bull managed to finally break the curse in 2026.
Coby White finally beats the Heat in the Play-In
Way back in 2019, White was drafted seventh overall by the Bulls and he played for them until this season. He was part of a trade with the Hornets that sent him to Charlotte at the 2026 deadline. Considering how well he's been playing ever since, Chicago has to be regretting that decision.
Once again, White found himself in the Play-In, facing off against the Heat in the one-and-done matchup between the ninth and 10th seeds. This time was different. The Hornets came out on top, due in no small part to White. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
After three years of getting knocked out of the Play-In by the Heat, White has finally exorcised that demon and can move on to what's next. This year, that's facing off against the Orlando Magic for the eighth seed in the East. And the odds are still in Charlotte's favor at this point.
While fans will have to wait and see who makes it out of the Play-In, finally taking down the Heat had to feel like winning a championship for White. That specific team has been dogging him for years. Now, the playoffs are firmly within his grasp. The Hornets just have to take it.
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