Coby White has steadily improved over the last few seasons to become a complete offensive threat for the Bulls. Last season, he put up 20.4 points per game on good efficiency, 45.3 percent from the field, and 37.0 percent from three on nearly eight three-point attempts per game. Still, on the last season of his contract, he knows he can take another step to make himself an even better player.
On media day, White said that his biggest focus for the offseason was improving as an off-ball player. This includes improving at moving without the ball to get open and occupy defensive attention, as well as hitting threes off the catch at a higher clip. Now that White has a legitimate plus playmaker at the point guard position, he must learn to operate without the ball in his hands.
Coby White is focused on improving off-ball
The Bulls are at their best when Josh Giddey is running the show and has a variety of options to score for himself or find an open teammate. White’s recognition of this truth shows his maturity going into his seventh NBA season as the longest-tenured Bull. He’s already an excellent shooter off the dribble, and adding more movement off the ball will make him a more complete player.
Last season, 24.1 percent of White’s threes were unassisted, which is not a terribly high mark for someone as good as he is off the dribble. But when you look at the film of his assisted threes, many of them come off of simple spotting up rather than creating openings with his movement. This will be the next step in White’s evolution as a scorer.
Adding more movement to his game can make things easier for White himself to get open and use screens. More importantly, it makes the offense flow better and allows Giddey to push the pace early or take advantage of a preoccupied defense. White has long range on his threes and can consistently hit shots a few feet behind the arc, too, so he can really be a headache for defenses to chase around the floor, knowing his range.
Next season, the Bulls are looking to make a statement with improved defense and physicality. This may include having fewer offensively talented players on the floor, but White can help keep the offense humming at high levels by doing the selfless work of moving off the ball. It can create opportunities for teammates that won’t be reflected in White’s individual stats, but will make a big impact on the scoreboard.
White is already a great on-ball shooter. Last season, he shot 37.9 percent on his stepback and pull-up threes, marks of an elite self-creator. Making a selfless move to add more off-ball movement will make his impact even greater and possibly help secure the big contract he’s looking for.