The 2023-24 NBA season’s significance for the Chicago Bulls extended beyond the announcement of individual awards. When TNT revealed the winner of the Most Improved Player award, it marked a pivotal milestone for Bulls guard Coby White, culminating his fifth season in Chicago.
White’s name, however, was not the one uttered. He narrowly missed the top spot, finishing 14 points behind Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey in the weighted voting. Maxey garnered 51 first-place votes, while White received 32.
Nevertheless, White’s ascent from a rotational player to a leading candidate for one of the league’s most coveted end-of-season awards underscores his remarkable growth. In the 2022 NBA playoffs, White’s lackluster performance in the first round prompted him to dedicate himself to refining his game. While immediate improvements were not evident, his transformation unfolded gradually throughout the season.
With the Bulls in need of a point guard, White seized the starting role during training camp. Despite a sluggish start, he emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for Chicago. White’s scoring average soared to a career-high 19.1 points, representing the league’s most significant increase (9.4 points) while also logging 13.1 more minutes per game.
Alongside DeMar DeRozan, White played a pivotal role in guiding the Bulls from the No. 13 seed to the No. 9 seed after Zach LaVine’s injury. He also emerged as a vocal leader for the team, finishing third in the NBA in total minutes played (2,881) despite missing three games due to injury.
Crucially, White regained a sense of familiarity both on and off the court. ‘I’m who I was before,’ he told the Tribune in March. ‘I’m happy. This is who I was when I was 16, when I was 15, before everything changed. This is the first time in a long time I’ve felt like I could be myself.’
Having re-signed with the Bulls in the summer of 2022, White is contracted through 2026. Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas considers him a key piece in the Bulls’ roster reassessment this offseason.
