Coby White is a real threat for NBA Rookie of the Year

Kamil Krzaczynski/USA Today

When you consider some of the top rookies in the NBA right now, names that come to your mind right away might include Ja Morant, Kendrick Nunn, Eric Paschall, Rui Hachimura, Tyler Herro, and RJ Barrett. Many people have not given Coby White much consideration as one of the elite rookies from the 2019 class due to his poor shooting numbers and the woeful state of many of his advanced stats.

However, I’m here to explain why Coby White should clearly be considered one of the top five rookies and should be in the Rookie of the Year conversation right now.

Many people have written Coby White off because of his streakiness on offense. Coming into Sunday night, White is the seventh leading scorer amongst rookies at 12.4 points per game and is shooting 36.7% from the field and 35% from the 3-point line.

White’s field goal percentage is the worst among rookies that average greater than eight points per game. Although these shooting percentages are repugnant at first glance they actually don’t tell the full story.

Here are some facts that challenge the idea that White has been an average rookie:

1. Coby White set a franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a quarter with seven fourth-quarter threes made.
2. White leads all rookies in threes made for the season.
3. There are currently 10 rookies that get significantly more playing time than him.
4. White is one of the three rookies who are in the top 10 in rookie scoring while coming off of the bench (Tyler Herro and Brandon Clarke)
5. White has essentially won two games for the Bulls (without much help)
6. White has had four games where he has scored 25 or more

White definitely deserves a nod as a top-five rookie based on the points provided above but being a reserve and playing in limited flashes are things that both help and hurt his case. It is hard to understand why Coby White doesn’t start especially when you look at the performance of the Bulls starters and the Bulls’ overall record. White averages only 24.8 minutes per game while rookies like RJ Barrett and Eric Paschall both average well over 30 minutes per game, which is significant. If White was given the same amount of opportunity as Barrett and co., his numbers would look even better.

White is a very talented guard that shows a ton of promise but his playing situation isn’t the most ideal. The Bulls hold an 8–16 record which has them outside of the playoff race. Even though the Bulls’ season is looking dim as far as playoff hopes so far, they are refusing to go into full “re-rebuild” mode which may keep White coming off the bench for some time.

The Bulls bench has been outplaying the starters for the majority of the season and head coach Jim Boylen has made very questionable lineup decisions throughout the entire season. These lineup decisions have affected White’s morale and consistency. White has had some impressive performances coming off the bench and he has had some awful performances too.

Although White’s consistency is questionable, his aggression hasn’t wavered. One of the aspects that makes him so special is his attitude on the floor. The rookie plays relentless as if he wants to score 30 every night. His confidence might very well be at this level because he understands how poorly his team has been playing and he feels as if he can lead, or he could just be a “chucker” that lacks sound judgment.

Regardless of whether you think it is the former or the latter, it is undeniable that he is nearly tied with Lauri Markkanen as the second leading scorer on this Bulls team. That says a lot. The Bulls need White as his scoring ability plays a huge role on this team.

When asked about his feelings on being a reserve, the seventh overall pick had some interesting thoughts. “This has been challenging for me, for sure,” White told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I haven’t come off the bench in years.” “That’s why sometimes you see my inconsistency,” said White. While it is obvious that White still has a ton of room for improvement, it’s getting hard for some to understand why he hasn’t become a starter.

Nonetheless, White still holds a pivotal position on this Bulls team and thankfully hasn’t exacerbated his sixth-man situation. In Coby White’s most recent game against the Heat on December 8, he had a career-high 8 assists and only 3 turnovers, showing serious growth as a playmaker. It's safe to say that Coby White should be considered a top-five rookie and when it’s all said and done, he will have a place on the NBA All-Rookie team.