Alec Jacoby "Coby" White (born February 16, 2000) is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). He played
college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels (also Carolina Tar Heels) are the college sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to ...
. White was a top high school player in
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, finishing his career as the top prep scorer in state history. After being selected by the Bulls in the first round of the
2019 NBA draft
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible p ...
with the seventh overall pick, he was named to the
NBA All-Rookie Second Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...
in 2020. In 2024, White finished second in NBA Most Improved Player award behind
Tyrese Maxey.
High school career
White, a 6'4"
combo guard
A combo guard is a basketball player who combines the attributes of a point guard (1) and shooting guard (2), but does not necessarily fit the standard description of either position. In men's basketball, such guards are usually within the 6' 3" ...
, played high school basketball at the Greenfield School in
Wilson, North Carolina
Wilson is a city in and the county seat of Wilson County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, 23rd-most populous city in North Carolina. Located about east of the capital city of Raleigh, North Car ...
. He scored 3,573 points over his four-year career, becoming the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina high school basketball history, a record previously held by
JamesOn Curry.
At the close of his senior season, White was named
North Carolina Mr. Basketball as the state's top high school player. White was also awarded the 2018 ''USA Today's'' North Carolina Player of the Year.
He was named to the
2018 McDonald's All-American Game alongside fellow UNC signee
Nassir Little. White also was nominated to the
MaxPreps All-America first team.
During the summer after graduating, White was named to the United States U18 National team to compete in the
2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in Canada. White helped lead the team to a gold medal as the team's top scorer, earning all-tournament honors.
College career

White signed a
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manag ...
to play for
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
on November 8, 2017. White made his debut in a game against
Wofford on November 6, 2018, starting at
point guard
The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the Basketball positions, five positions in a regulation basketball game.
A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position and is usually the shortest player ...
, and recording eight points and three assists in North Carolina's 78–67 win over Wofford. On February 26, 2019, when his team was playing against
Syracuse
Syracuse most commonly refers to:
* Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse
* Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area
Syracuse may also refer to:
Places
* Syracuse railway station (disambiguation)
Italy
* Provi ...
, White scored a career-high 34 points while leading the Tar Heels to a 93–85 victory. On March 5, White passed
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
in North Carolina's all-time freshman scoring list with 469 in North Carolina's 79–66 win over
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
. White helped lead the team in the 2019
NCAA tournament, where they were eventually defeated by
Auburn 97–80 in the Sweet 16 round of the tournament. White also broke a North Carolina basketball freshman record of three point shooting, hitting 82 during his college season.
On April 3, 2019, White declared for the
2019 NBA draft
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible p ...
after one season at North Carolina, where he earned All-ACC 2nd Team honors.
Professional career
Chicago Bulls (2019–present)
On June 20, 2019, the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...
drafted Coby White with the seventh overall pick in the
2019 NBA draft
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible p ...
. White is the first player from North Carolina to be drafted in the first round by the Bulls since
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
in 1984. On July 1, 2019, White signed with the Bulls. White participated in the
2019 NBA Summer League with fellow 2019 draftee
Daniel Gafford, where he averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. On October 23, 2019, White made his debut in the NBA, coming off the bench in a 126–125 loss to the
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
with 17 points, three rebounds and seven assists. This game made him the first player born in the 2000s to play in the NBA.
On November 12, 2019, White hit seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter against the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
, setting a Bulls franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a single quarter, and finished with 27 points in the 120–102 victory. On February 22, 2020, White scored a then career-high 33 points in a 112–104 loss to the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
. White would match that career high the next day, leading the Bulls to a 126–117 win over the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
. White became the first rookie in NBA history with consecutive 30-point games off the bench. On February 25, White continued the streak and exceeded his career-high, scoring 35 points in a 124–122 loss to the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...
. On September 15, 2020, White was named to the
2019–20 NBA All-Rookie Second Team by the
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
.
On February 10, 2021, White finished with 30 points, eight 3-pointers, and 7 assists in a 129–116 win over the
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
, setting a Bulls franchise record with teammate
Zach LaVine
Zachary Thomas LaVine ( ; born March 10, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft with the 13th overall p ...
when they each made 8 shots from behind the arc.
On June 10, 2021, White underwent left shoulder surgery and was ruled out for at least four months. On September 22, the Bulls exercised their fourth-year option on White, keeping him under team control through the 2022–23 season.
On January 31, 2023, in a 108–103 loss to the
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
, White became the fastest player (237 games) in Bulls franchise history to make 500 career three-point baskets. On July 7, 2023, White signed a three-year contract extension with the Bulls.
On April 17, 2024, White scored a then career-high 42 points in a 131–116 win over the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
in the
play-in tournament. It was the second-most in play-in tournament history behind
Jayson Tatum’s 50 points game in
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
.
On April 23, 2024, White finished second in the race for
2023–24 NBA Most Improved Player
The NBA's Most Improved Player (MIP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season compared to previous seasons. The winner is selected by a panel of sportsw ...
, losing narrowly to Philadelphia's
Tyrese Maxey.
On January 4, 2025, White scored 33 points and a career-high nine three-pointers in a 139–126 win against the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
. On March 6, White scored a career-high 44 points in a 125–123 victory over the
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
. On March 17, he was awarded Eastern Conference
Player of the Week for the first time in his career after averaging 27.0 PPG for three games. Three days later, White scored 35 points in a 128–116 win over the
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...
. On March 22, White put up 36 points in a 146–115 win against the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. On March 24, he was awarded his second career Player of the Week. He became the second Bulls player to win the award in back-to-back weeks, following
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
. On April 1, he was awarded his first Player Of the Month award. He became the sixth Bull to earn the award, joining Jordan, Pippen, Rose, Butler, and DeRozan.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 65 , , 1 , , 25.8 , , .394 , , .354 , , .791 , , 3.5 , , 2.7 , , .8 , , .1 , , 13.2
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 69 , , 54 , , 31.2 , , .416 , , .359 , , .901 , , 4.1 , , 4.8 , , .6 , , .2 , , 15.1
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 61 , , 17 , , 27.5 , , .433 , , .385 , , .857 , , 3.0 , , 2.9 , , .5 , , .2 , , 12.7
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 74 , , 2 , , 23.4 , , .443 , , .372 , , .871 , , 2.9 , , 2.8 , , .7 , , .1 , , 9.7
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 79 , , 78 , , 36.5 , , .447 , , .376 , , .838 , , 4.5 , , 5.1 , , .7 , , .2 , , 19.1
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 74 , , 73 , , 33.1 , , .453 , , .370 , , .902 , , 3.7 , , 4.5 , , .9 , , .2 , , 20.4
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, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 422 , , 225 , , 29.8 , , .433 , , .369 , , .865 , , 3.6 , , 3.8 , , .7 , , .2 , , 15.2
Playoffs
, -
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2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
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Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 5 , , 0 , , 19.6 , , .333 , , .276 , , .800 , , 3.4 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , .0 , , 8.4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 5 , , 0 , , 19.6 , , .333 , , .276 , , .800 , , 3.4 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , .0 , , 8.4
College
, -
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2018–19
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North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, 35 , , 35 , , 28.5 , , .423 , , .353 , , .800 , , 3.5 , , 4.1 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 16.1
Personal life
White's father, Donald, previously played college basketball at
North Carolina Central before becoming a factory worker until his death on August 15, 2017, to
liver cancer
Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...
.
His mother is a claims manager for an insurance company. He also has a sister and an older brother, Will, who played basketball and is currently an assistant coach for
Mars Hill University.
He has a personal connection with NBA player
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and "the Point God", is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded by some as one of the greatest p ...
, as he played for Paul's
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...
(AAU) program, Team CP3.
References
External links
North Carolina Tar Heels bioUSA Basketball bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Coby
2000 births
Living people
21st-century American sportsmen
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from North Carolina
Chicago Bulls draft picks
Chicago Bulls players
McDonald's High School All-Americans
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players
Point guards
Shooting guards
Sportspeople from Goldsboro, North Carolina