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After scoring more than 20 points per game last season, Coby White of the Chicago Bulls has yet to make his season debut with a calf injury.
The young Chicago Bulls have gotten off to a decent start to the 2025-26 NBA season, but so far, they’ve been without star guard Coby White. While the team has dealt with other injuries, specifically to Josh Giddey, White has yet to play this season while recovering from a calf strain he suffered in August.
However, after missing Chicago’s first 11 games, Shams Charania of ESPN reported the Bulls will activate White, with the expectation that he will make his season debut against the Utah Jazz.
“The Chicago Bulls expect guard Coby White (calf) to make his season debut today on the road against the Utah Jazz, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote in a post on X. “White averaged a career-high 20.4 points in 74 games a season ago.”
The numbers for White last season were strong, as all were career-highs in what was his sixth year in the NBA. Though he didn’t get an All-Star nod, having him next to Giddey back in the starting lineup is a strong sign for the Bulls, who have lost their last four games.
Coby White Set To Make Season Debut
Over the past week, White had been assigned to Chicago’s G-League affiliate and began full practices. He was originally listed as questionable for the Sunday matchup against the Jazz, but Charania’s reporting confirms the 25-year-old will make his season debut.
Though Chicago has found scoring with Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Nikola Vucevic, Tre Jones, and others, having White back healthy will be a big help for the team that ranks 11th in points per game and only 19th in offensive rating.
The 6’4″ guard has career averages of 15.2 points on 43.3% shooting from the field, but as seen last year, his 37% shooting from three will drastically benefit the fast-paced, Billy Donovan-led Bulls team.
“The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the Bulls’ most reliable offensive players over the past two seasons since becoming a fixture in the starting backcourt,” ESPN wrote on White after his healthy status was confirmed.
In what might not be the best news for Chicago, the guard from North Carolina is entering the last year of a three-year, $36 million rookie extension he signed in 2023. With his increased production, White will likely garner a much bigger deal over the summer, meaning the Bulls could lose him for nothing.
Bulls Season Start
While his future is still unknown, White’s return to on-court action will no doubt be helpful for a Chicago team that has already had some major ups and downs through the first month of the season.
After beginning the year 6-1 and sitting atop the Eastern Conference with a win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Bulls have lost their last four games. While each opponent was above .500 when they played, they gave up at least 120 points in each game.
However, defense hasn’t been the identity of the Bulls this season or last, and despite the recent struggles, the individual offensive numbers have been strong. Specifically for Giddey, who signed a four-year, $100 million extension over the summer. He is putting up an average of 21.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 9.3 assists in what could be seen as a ‘mini Luka Doncic‘ role.
Though he just signed a new deal, the 23-year-old appears to already be outplaying his contract. With White still unsigned, Chicago has at least locked down Giddey, who has been playing at an All-Star level 11 games in.
The Bulls have also gotten strong contributions from second-year forward Buzelis and the trade deadline acquisition of Jones. Both are putting up career-high scoring numbers and have started in every game so far this year.
Vucevic has remained his consistent self, despite the slow aging of the 35-year-old center. He is averaging 16.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while being the main veteran presence within the locker room.
Chicago has a total of six players averaging double-digit scoring, and that number could go up with White’s return. Regardless, the more important question remains the team’s record and if the guard can help recreate their hot start.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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