Coby White Bio
Alec Jacoby “Coby” White (born February 16, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected by the Bulls with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. A dynamic point guard with deep shooting range, White earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2020 and finished as the runner-up for the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2024.
Born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, White rose to national attention as the most prolific scorer in North Carolina high school history. He has since developed into one of the Bulls’ leading perimeter threats and a key building block for the franchise’s future.
Early Life and Background
White was born on February 16, 2000, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and raised in nearby Wilson. He grew up in a close-knit family with strong ties to basketball. His father, Donald White, had played college basketball at North Carolina Central before becoming a factory worker. Donald passed away from liver cancer on August 15, 2017, when Coby was 17. His mother works as a claims manager for an insurance company, and White has an older brother, Will, who also played basketball and currently serves as an assistant coach at Mars Hill University. White also has a sister.
White attended Greenfield School in Wilson, where he became one of the most decorated prep players in state history. Over four varsity seasons, he scored 3,573 points, surpassing the previous North Carolina all-time prep scoring record held by JamesOn Curry. He earned North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year honors in both his junior and senior seasons, was named North Carolina Mr. Basketball in 2018, and was selected to the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Game alongside future North Carolina teammate Nassir Little.
Path to Basketball
White sharpened his competitive edge through Amateur Athletic Union play with Team CP3, the program founded by NBA star Chris Paul, building a long-standing personal connection with the future Hall of Fame guard. After his high school career, he represented the United States at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in Canada, where he led the team in scoring and helped capture the gold medal while earning all-tournament honors.
On November 8, 2017, White signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He enrolled early and made his college debut on November 6, 2018, starting at point guard against Wofford and recording eight points and three assists in a 78–67 Tar Heels victory. He went on to play one season under head coach Roy Williams, emerging as one of the most exciting freshman guards in the country.
Coby White Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
During his lone college season, White produced a series of memorable performances that placed him alongside some of the program’s all-time greats. On February 26, 2019, he erupted for a career-high 34 points in a 93–85 win over Syracuse. On March 5, 2019, he passed Michael Jordan on North Carolina’s all-time freshman scoring list with his 469th point in a 79–66 win over Boston College.
White also set a North Carolina freshman record with 82 three-pointers in a single season and helped lead the Tar Heels to the 2019 NCAA tournament, where they fell 97–80 to Auburn in the Sweet 16. He earned Second-Team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team honors, then declared for the 2019 NBA draft on April 3, 2019.
Chicago Bulls Debut (2019–2020)
The Chicago Bulls selected White with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft on June 20, 2019, making him the first player from North Carolina to be drafted in the first round by the Bulls since Michael Jordan in 1984. He signed his rookie contract on July 1, 2019, and averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across the 2019 NBA Summer League.
White made his regular-season debut on October 23, 2019, against the Charlotte Hornets, recording 17 points, three rebounds, and seven assists and becoming the first player born in the 2000s to appear in an NBA game. On November 12, 2019, he set a Bulls franchise record by hitting seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter of a 120–102 win over the New York Knicks, finishing with 27 points. In February 2020, he scored 33 points in back-to-back games off the bench and then 35 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the first rookie in NBA history with consecutive 30-point games off the bench. He was named to the 2019–20 NBA All-Rookie Second Team on September 15, 2020.
Chicago Bulls Growth and Injury (2021–2023)
On February 10, 2021, White hit eight three-pointers in a 129–116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, tying a Bulls franchise record with teammate Zach LaVine. On June 10, 2021, he underwent left shoulder surgery that sidelined him for at least four months. The Bulls exercised his fourth-year option on September 22, 2021, keeping him under contract through the 2022–23 season.
On January 31, 2023, White became the fastest player in Bulls franchise history to reach 500 career three-pointers, doing so in just 237 games. On July 7, 2023, he signed a three-year contract extension with Chicago, cementing his long-term place in the team’s backcourt.
Chicago Bulls Star Turn (2023–2025)
On April 17, 2024, White exploded for a then career-high 42 points in a 131–116 play-in tournament win over the Atlanta Hawks, the second-highest single-game scoring performance in play-in tournament history behind Jayson Tatum’s 50 points in 2021. He finished second in voting for the 2023–24 NBA Most Improved Player award, losing narrowly to Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.
White’s ascent continued into 2025. On January 4, 2025, he scored 33 points and a career-high nine three-pointers in a 139–126 win against the New York Knicks. On March 6, 2025, he set a new career high with 44 points in a 125–123 victory over the Orlando Magic. On March 17, 2025, he earned his first career Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, then captured the honor again on March 24, 2025, becoming just the second Bulls player to win the award in back-to-back weeks after Michael Jordan. On April 1, 2025, he received his first career Player of the Month honor, joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, and DeMar DeRozan as the sixth Bull to earn the award.
Playing Style and Strengths
White is a 6-foot-5, 188-pound point guard known for his explosive scoring bursts and elite three-point shooting. His quick release and ability to heat up in a hurry make him one of the most dangerous catch-and-shoot threats in the league, particularly when he gets into rhythm from beyond the arc. He pairs that shooting with strong court vision and the speed to push the pace in transition, creating offense for teammates as well as himself.
Notable Events and Milestones
White holds the Bulls franchise record for most three-pointers in a single quarter with seven, set against the New York Knicks in 2019. He became the fastest Bull ever to reach 500 career three-pointers, accomplished the first back-to-back 30-point games off the bench by any NBA rookie, and delivered the second-highest scoring performance in play-in tournament history with 42 points against the Atlanta Hawks in 2024.
Coby White Career Wins
Although White has yet to appear in an NBA All-Star Game, his individual accolades tell the story of a steady and rapid rise. Across all levels, he has been a McDonald’s All-American, a North Carolina Mr. Basketball, a two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, an All-ACC Second Team selection, an NBA All-Rookie Second Team member, and an NBA Most Improved Player runner-up.
NBA Career Highlights
White’s NBA resume includes three Eastern Conference Player of the Week awards earned in 2024 and 2025, an Eastern Conference Player of the Month award in April 2025, and his runner-up finish for the 2023–24 Most Improved Player award. He has repeatedly topped the 40-point mark in recent seasons, including 42 points versus Atlanta and 44 points versus Orlando.
College and Pre-Draft Performances
At North Carolina, White earned Second-Team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team honors in 2019, set the program’s freshman record for three-pointers with 82, and passed Michael Jordan on the Tar Heels’ all-time freshman scoring list. Before college, he led the United States to gold at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship and finished his high school career as North Carolina’s all-time leading prep scorer with 3,573 points.
Coby White Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
White comes from a family deeply connected to basketball. His late father, Donald White, played college basketball at North Carolina Central University before working in a factory. His older brother, Will White, also played basketball and is an assistant coach at Mars Hill University. The family has remained a central source of motivation for Coby throughout his professional career.
Personal Life
White maintains a close relationship with his mother, who works as a claims manager for an insurance company, and his sister. He also shares a longstanding personal bond with NBA star Chris Paul, having played in Paul’s Amateur Athletic Union program, Team CP3, during his youth.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 NBA season marked a clear arrival for White as one of the Bulls’ featured offensive options. He opened the calendar year with a 33-point performance and a career-best nine three-pointers against the New York Knicks on January 4, 2025, signaling the kind of perimeter barrage that would define his winter months.
His late-season surge began on March 6, 2025, when he erupted for a career-high 44 points in a 125–123 victory over the Orlando Magic. He followed that with 35 points against the Sacramento Kings on March 20 and 36 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 22, vaulting him into the conversation for individual awards and earning him back-to-back Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors and an Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for April.
White’s rapid ascent has positioned him as a long-term cornerstone of the Chicago Bulls. With a multi-year contract extension in place and a track record of efficient three-point shooting, his role is expected to keep expanding as the team builds around his scoring and playmaking. The 2025–26 season presents an opportunity for White to cement his first All-Star selection and lead the Bulls back to the postseason.