Coby White may not carry the same workload the Chicago Bulls once imagined moving forward, but he still projects to be a key part of this new-look roster’s rotation come the start of the 2021-22 season.
With a bench deprived of proven scorers, White will be the sparkplug shooter who helps keep the Bulls’ offensive-heavy attack alive and well once the second unit enters. However, when he can take over, this much-needed responsibility is still up in the air. The 21-year-old suffered a torn labrum while doing basketball activities away from the team in June. We have heard very little about how his recovery process has gone, but the man himself finally broke his silence on the matter in a conversation with Uproxx’s Bill Difilippo.
I’ve been productive, man. My surgery, getting better each and every day. I’m just focusing on the rehab. It’s getting better each and every day. I’m just trying to stay in the moment and just focus on the now, and just focus on getting better today.
The Bulls initially announced that White would be re-evaluated in October, but we all know “re-evaluated” does not mean “reactivated.”
The timeline for White’s injury can have a four-to-six month recovery, per NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson. So the hope – obviously – is that he can return to basketball activities on the front end of this projection. But, even if he does get the green light to do on-court work in October, we all know getting in game shape takes time (let alone comfortably shooting the basketball after a shoulder injury). So the expectation heading into next season should be that he is sidelined to start.
Make no mistake, though; White has still gotten after it. Not only have we seen recent photos of him working out at the Advocate Center and the Tar Heels’ facility, but he told Difilippo that he has been able to do plenty of strength work over the past couple of months.
I think the big thing is working on my body. I was in the weight room a lot this summer, because I couldn’t do much on the court. Working on my body, I finally get a chance to get strong in areas that I knew I needed to be stronger in — mobility, hip mobility, ankle mobility, balance. I’ve been working on a ton of stuff in the weight room. I think just being off the court and not being able to play is a challenge itself. You appreciate the game that much more. So, this was a humbling experience for me.
Adding muscle is rarely a bad thing, and improving his mobility and balance could go a long way toward cleaning up his less-than-stellar play on the defensive end.
It’s encouraging to know White has still prioritized improving areas of his game in the midst of his rehab. Again, there is no question it will still take him time to get back into the swing of things once he returns, but it appears he has at least made the most out of a bad situation for now.
Anyway, make sure to check out the full interview with White below. The two talk about far more than just his health status.
Coby White talks the Bulls' busy summer, seeing Cam Johnson in the NBA Finals, and more https://t.co/xFS437zssU
— UPROXX Sports (@UPROXXSports) September 17, 2021