Coby White spoke fondly of Bulls head coach Billy Donovan before the latter's induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 6. Specifically, White praised Donovan's ability to build authentic relationships with his players; a skill that dates back to his days leading the University of Florida to a pair of National Championships -- the impetus for his enshrinement.
Donovan helmed the Gators for 19 seasons, racking up 467 victories and winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007 with Chicago fan favorite Joakim Noah.
A collection of Bulls players were in attendance to support their coach: Patrick Williams, Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry, Ayo Dosunmu and White, who was effusive in his adulation of Donovan.
Coby White heaps praise on Bulls head coach Billy Donovan
Chicago selected White with the seventh pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The North Carolina alum played one season under Jim Boylen before Donovan took the reins in 2020-21. The now-25-year-old has played 357 games under Donovan, rising from a young scorer acclimating to the league to the Bulls' No. 1 option last season after Zach LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings.
White explained how Donovan has helped him develop into an all-around guard who can assist the franchise in getting back to the playoffs, per Chicago Sports Network:
"He's honest, he pushes you, he's gonna get the most out of you. For the most part, he's always been upfront with me, but he also believes in his players. He gets his players to compete every night. He builds relationships with his players, which, oftentimes, you don't see a good amount in the NBA, head coaches and players (building) that type of relationship."Chicago Bulls guard Coby White
White will be a free agent at the end of this season, which, naturally, means rumors surrounding his future with the organization have already kicked off. He'll undoubtedly head into unrestricted free agency, as he's already outplayed the maximum four-year, $89 million extension Chicago can give him.
It's fair to consider the possibility that the Bulls move White before the trade deadline rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer, but he's proven too valuable to this current iteration of the Bulls and, specifically, the kind of scheme Donovan wants to run.
Hearing White wax poetic about the only active Hall-of-Fame coach in the NBA is a positive indicator that he could stay in the Windy City past the 2025-26 season.