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Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images
Coby White
Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
School: North Carolina
Measurables: 6’5”, 185 lbs, 6’4” wingspan
Speed: 7.70
Quick north-south speed, runs the floor like a bull. Good acceleration and lightning-quick first step. His ability to change speeds with the ball in his hands is one of his best attributes. He has solid east-west speed as well, which he uses to sidestep opponents on the break and in tight spaces.
Athleticism: 5.70
Above average athlete. Solid vertical. His slender frame is a bit of a concern, he's easily bothered by contact and likely will need to put on more weight
Ball Handling: 6.50
His dribble is a bit high and loose at times, although he does show some flashes of real quality here. He's very deceptive with behind the back and in-n-out dribbles, and he has an uncanny ability to snake through defenders out of the PnR. While he will need to learn how to keep the ball under better control, his dribbling is not as big of a concern as some have made it out to be
Passing: 5.50
While his passing has come a long way in his freshman season, he still has a long ways to go here. He's good at using misdirection by using his eyes and employing fakes, and is capable of making simple reads. When his reads become more complicated than that, however, he struggles to make the right play. Can be late on reads as well. With all that being said, don't think he is best as a pure PG
Free Throws: 8.00
80% FT shooter on .292 FTr.
Outside Shooting: 6.50
Slightly above average outside shooter. Earned a 35.3 3P% on the season, while getting up to 38.5% in conference play. A lot of his shots were off the dribble and unassisted, which deflated his numbers. This is reflected in his catch and shoot jumpers, as he ranked in the 93rd percentile on catch and shoot jumpers (Synergy Sports). In sum, his shooting likely will translate to the next level when he's not asked to carry the same load that he did at Carolina. Takes a fair amount of shots from extended range, mostly by the way of stepbacks. To my own surprise, he shot 42.5% from NBA range, on 73 attempts.
Mid-Range Game: 5.50
Decent mid-range game. Similar to his outside shooting, most of these shots were also off the dribble. Able to stop on a dime on pull-up with good, not great efficiency. Expect White to offer more here in the NBA with increased spacing and a lesser role
Shot Form: 6.50
Good shot form - he has a quick release and brings the ball up straight in line with his body, while consistently getting his heels up to the sky
Decision Making: 4.00
Arguably his biggest weakness. Struggles to make intermediate and advanced reads. Prone to shoot tough, contested jumpers as opposed to letting the play develop. In the half court he can be out of control, needs to learn to slow down a bit and see the floor. When changing speeds doesn't work while driving, he can be easily flummoxed and make a bad decision. All of the above criticisms are why he held a fairly high 18.8TO%. Can be a bit overzealous with his shot selection as well, too many of his shots were overly difficult or contested. Very much a work in progress
Finishing: 6.50
Able to explode to the rim and execute crafty finishes with tremendous dexterity and artistry. Slithery around the rim. When he's able to avoid the claws of his defenders, he really can make some shifty, utterly jaw-dropping finishes. When he does take contact, however, he struggles to maintain body control in part due to lack of strength. Needs to put on more muscle to be able to finish more consistently
Transition Play: 7.00
A walking bucket in transition. Once he gets the ball, he gets downhill with an unmatched intensity. Can settle for mid-range pullups a tad too much; look for him to be more aggressive as/if he gets stronger
Playmaking: 5.00
Don't think he's a natural playmaker, but more of a scoring guard. His lack of basketball IQ and poor decision making (although both have shown improvement) hinder his ability as a playmaker. However, as is the theme with most of White's other attributes, its night and day from where he was a year ago. Definitely room to grow
Defensive Effectiveness: 4.00
Too upright, susceptible to getting blown by. Adopts poor positioning as an on-ball defender, shows his man an inside lane to the rim far too easily. When he is in good position, he is able to stay in front due to his lateral quickness but just backs up as opposed to getting into his man's grill. Hurt by slender frame, easily overpowered. Poor awareness, loses track of his man off-ball. Prone to overhelp and recover back to his man late. Doesn't project to be an average NBA defender
Steals/Disruptiveness: 3.50
Doesn't really make life too difficult for his man, only had a 2.0STL%. Fails to get hands up to contest at times, needs to be more active. Lack of length hinders him here
Rebounding: 4.00
When not crowded by big men, he's a grab and go rebounder who doesn't need a second invitation to push the pace. As is for most other guards, don't expect him to fight amongst the trees here
Versatility: 5.00
Likely best as combo guard, can play both on and off ball. Should be functional in the half court while always looking to get out and run off defensive boards. Defensively, short wingspan will limit his switching ability
Leadership Ability: 7.00
Heralded for his leadership ability in high school. By all verbal accounts, very devoted and vocal team player
Intangibles: 6.50
His passion and intensity jumps off the page.
Strengths:
Speed, Transition Offense, Scoring, Space Creation,
Weaknesses:
Passing, Basketball IQ, Defense, Strength
Overall Analysis:
Coby White is a 6'5" PG with clear natural scoring talent. He makes some plays getting to the rim that just make you stop and stare. That said, there still are a lot of questions about how he will be able to create wins at the NBA level. While he has shown noticeable improvement here, his passing and decision-making tends to ebb and flow. Defensively, he's yet to figure out how to really be a nuisance to his man. His lateral quickness is overshadowed by his poor defensive positioning, which often gives his man an enormous head-start that White is unable to repossess. Overall, White projects to be a dynamic combo guard who can knock down shots when he has to and get to the basket. All in all, White should be a late lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Pro Comparison:
A poor man's Jamal Murray