The freshman class for North Carolina was focused around star forward Nassir Little coming into the season but Little has struggled throughout his first campaign with UNC, and fellow five-star first year player Coby White has begun to steal the show for North Carolina. The combo guard beat out junior Seventh Woods for the starting role before the season began, which is no small feat in a Roy Williams system. White will be faced with a decision at the end of the year when the 2019 NBA Draft comes calling.
Coby White Overview
Coby White was instrumental for the Heels tonight! 1?9? points and 8? assists for the freshman!#CarolinaSZN (@UNC_Basketball) pic.twitter.com/TH8KpOApHq
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) January 30, 2019
Coby White is listed as a five-star combo guard and a borderline NBA Draft Lottery status for 2019. White developed as a great scorer heading into college but needed to work on his passing and decision making. Roy Williams is hesitant to start a freshman over upperclassmen, but White proved more capable and earned the starting role.
The combo guard has improved vastly in his decision making and passing ability under the tutelage of Roy Williams and the North Carolina coaching staff. The biggest improvement in White’s game is his ability to lead a team of upperclassmen as the point guard. Coby White has also continued to show his scoring ability at the next level. The guard has quickly become the difference maker for North Carolina.
Coby White is the engine that makes the Tar Heel offense go! The UNC freshman is a game-changer.#CarolinaSZN (@UNC_Basketball) pic.twitter.com/Ppp4lfCDSg
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) January 22, 2019
White is far from the perfect prospect and does have a few things he needs to work on before he is the ideal NBA guard. He still has moments where he tries to force his jump shot, or when passing the ball. White is averaging right at four assists per game and almost three turnovers per game. This ratio is not ideal for the NBA and may mean White will find a bigger role as an off-ball guard in the NBA. The final issue with the combo guard is he still lacks the strength to finish inside at the NBA level. He has shown some ability but will need to continue to show improvement.
Coby White has a decision to make when his freshman year ends. Experts expect Coby White to head straight to the 2019 NBA Draft, but some have speculated he could decide to come back for a second year at North Carolina.
2019 NBA Draft
It is hard to deny that Coby White is ready for the NBA and its rigorous challenges. White went into North Carolina needed to work on a few things to be ready and he has shown vast improvement in those areas. The combo guard could find himself in the late lottery or right outside it.
White could easily find himself as a primary backup on a talented team should he decide to head to the NBA after his freshman season. It would be hard to envision a guard with White’s abilities slipping much further than the 20th pick. Coby White looks ready for the NBA and the temptation may be too hard to overlook.
Sophomore Season
There as some advantages to staying a second season should White decide that’s what he wants to do. This wouldn’t be the first time a five-star recruit has decided to stay an extra year with Roy Williams. White could hope to improve his stock even more and burst into the mid-lottery in 2020.
The guard could also learn how to play off-ball more effectively if five-star point guard Cole Anthony does decide to commit to North Carolina. Anthony committing is not a guarantee and White could see his stock fall instead of rising should he decide to stay. The unspoken risk of a major injury also looms over the young prospect.
The Likely Outcome
Coby White is likely NBA bound after his freshman season. The young combo guard is NBA ready and getting favorable looks from post-lottery teams. It is hard to imagine a Roy Williams team having two “one and done” players, but it looks favorable to happen. Nassir Little is getting top five looks and has no reason to stay.
White could very likely declare for the 2019 NBA Draft and decide to not hire an agent straight away. The freshman could look to weigh his options and see how teams grade him. Lottery teams showing interest could almost guarantee the departure of White from college. Teams right outside of the lottery are already highly interested, so it is hard to imagine him deciding to return to North Carolina.
White has a few games left to improve his stock and win games for the Tar Heel faithful. The guard could help boost his stock with good games Duke, his two matchups against Duke’s Tre Jones will be something scouts watch closely. Coby White has some games left to play before his big decision comes about his future.
