The Chicago Bulls won’t see Coby White back on the hardwood anytime soon. Before Chicago’s matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, Head Coach Billy Donovan said White has returned to on-court work, doing some of the movements that previously aggravated his injury—like “start-stop and explosion” drills. Still, Donovan noted that “the hope is, in a couple of weeks, he’ll play.”
White’s extended absence has come as a surprise. The North Carolina product sustained the calf strain in August, and Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas initially indicated that White might be ready to return by the end of the preseason.
Nonetheless, just days before the season opener, the Bulls offered a disappointing update: White had resumed basketball activities but would be reevaluated in two weeks. That was on October 20. As we now know, that reevaluation didn’t appear to inspire much confidence.
Coby White's injury update spells trouble for Bulls
The Bulls have taken a particularly cautious approach with White. As Donovan explained, “There was a ramp-up period before he went into practice, and [now the medical staff] wants a little bit longer window to make sure he’s doing those things over a stretch of time.”
Despite the reevaluation timeline and the extended ramp-up period, Donovan sounded optimistic about White’s progress. He said he’s seen White run at full speed and take part in basketball activities, but emphasized that it ultimately depends on how his calf responds to practice and game-like situations.
Calf strains require delicacy—and rightfully so. Time and time again, we’ve seen players rush back, only to suffer dire consequences, sometimes even leading to Achilles tears. It’s happened to Kevin Durant, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, among others.
The Bulls want what’s best for White, and they need their leading scorer back in the lineup. Even so, while a cautious approach is understandable, it’s another unfortunate chapter in what’s become a drawn-out saga.
Chicago has several capable replacements, including Tre Jones, who’s started in place of White, and Ayo Dosunmu, an early Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Still, it’s impossible to replicate White’s downhill scoring and elite marksmanship.
Considering the new “couple of weeks” timeline, it’s still possible White returns to the floor in November, though a December comeback shouldn’t be ruled out. As mentioned, it’s a delicate situation, and the Bulls want White at 100 percent—a process that will clearly take time.