How will the standout Chicago Bulls rookie point guard Coby White compare with the rest of the NBA’s Rookie of the Year contenders so far?
Through 11 regular season games, the Chicago Bulls with a subpar record of 4-7, which places them near the bottom of the Central Division and out of the playoff picture for the time being in the Eastern Conference standings.
One key positive, for the most part, for the Bulls thus far is the play of the former seventh overall draft pick and rookie point guard Coby White. The former North Carolina Tar Heels standout freshman floor general could arguably be the main reason for the Bulls notching two of their four wins this season. He lit up the Memphis Grizzlies back in October with an electric second half performance off the bench, as he did against the New York Knicks earlier this week.
What’s important for the Bulls from here on out is containing to build this young core up and keep trending in the right direction. Head coach Jim Boylen and the Bulls didn’t get off to a good start at all this season, and a lot of the blame could fall on his shoulders. Despite receiving a three-year contract extension over the offseason, Boylen hasn’t lived up to the billing given to him by John Paxson and Gar Forman. But GarPax and the Reinsdorfs seem to love him as their head coach.
However, there does seem to be traction between Boylen and his talented 6-foot-5 rookie point guard. White is off to a good start, even if there were rocky outings along the way. A raw talent like White is going to take time to develop into a more consistent offensive weapon. But it does appear like White is taking the proper amount of responsibility for this team on his shoulders.
How does Coby stack up against the competition right now in terms of the race to land the Rookie of the Year honors?
Here’s a look into where he stands right now among the biggest contenders in the NBA to win the Rookie of the Year award.