Chicago Bulls select Coby White with the No. 7 pick
By James Torres
The Chicago Bulls are on the clock. With the seventh pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Bulls select, Coby White, point guard out of the University of North Carolina.
The Chicago Bulls front office selected their next starting point guard with the pick of Coby White out of the University of North Carolina. The 6’5″ guard is arguably the fastest player in the 2019 draft. He will be able to push the ball up the court and feed Chicago’s athletic wings.
This was the safest pick at No. 7 allowing GarPax to remain comfortably in charge. White has the best hair in the 2019 NBA Draft circa de 2002 Ben Wallace. The freshman guard led UNC to a 29-7 overall record plus a 16-2 ACC conference record. His team shared the regular season ACC conference title with the National Champion Virginia Cavaliers in 2019. His winning pedigree adds to the Bulls rebuild and should provide immediate leadership inside the huddle.
This season the former North Carolina Mr. Basketball shot .422 percent overall with a .353 percent clip from deep. Those numbers alone rival incumbent and oft-injured point guard Kris Dunn. Not to mention his 19.2 PER is a solid seven points higher than Dunn’s 12.4 PER. This pick made sense as rumors circulated all off-season Chicago desperately wanted an upgrade at the point. Dunn not only never looked comfortable running this offense but also didn’t show the progression that any front office would like out of its point guard.
White becomes the third straight No. 7 pick for the Bulls. Bulls Nation can only hope he can follow suit with previous No. 7 picks Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. Each contributed immediately in their rookie seasons although Carter Jr. ended this season on the injured list. White has the opportunity to take over during a transitional period as the Bulls try to remove the rebuild hashtag.
Coach Jim Boylen revamped his coaching staff to adapt to the fast-paced NBA game. White’s game fits the mold of the potentially new-look high-octane offense Chicago looks to employ given their athletic wings. This may not be the best pick but the Bulls will certainly be much more entertaining to watch with White pushing the ball down the court in Chicago.