Whatever you believe Coby White’s ceiling is, it isn’t high enough. So many fellow Bulls fans argued—especially when he signed his first extension—that Coby had settled into the role of a solid sixth man. That assertion, which was common at the time, no longer applies. He shattered that ceiling during the 2023–24 season, finishing second in the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. Then, after a steady but unspectacular start to the 2024–25 campaign, White erupted following the All-Star break. In March 2025, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month—a distinction no Bull had earned since DeMar DeRozan in the 2021–22 season
To put that in perspective, the list of Eastern Conference Players of the Month between DeRozan and White reads like an all-star roster. Here’s a closer look:
Eastern Conference Players of the Month (from Feb 2022 to Mar 2025)
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- February 2022: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
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- March 2022: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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- November 2022: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
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- December 2022: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
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- January 2023: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
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- February 2023: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
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- March 2023: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
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- November 2023: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
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- December 2023: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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- January 2024: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
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- February 2024: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
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- March 2024: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
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- November 2024: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
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- December 2024: Karl‑Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
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- January 2025: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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- February 2025: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
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- March 2025: Coby White, Chicago Bulls
All of these players…outside of Coby are All-Stars. Some are perennial MVP candidates. What’s remarkable? Coby achieved the honor while leading a Bulls team that finished 39–43, the only winner of the award in this stretch for a team with a losing record. It’s proof that, even on teams that underperformed, his individual brilliance stood out.
To truly appreciate how far Coby has come, consider his path: drafted 7th overall in 2019—just after Jarrett Culver and amid debates favoring Cam Reddish. In his rookie season under Jim Boylen, his late-season surge—averaging nearly 26 points with 50/40/90 shooting in the final nine games—hinted at greatness, only to be interrupted by COVID isolation, cutting off vital development.
Year Two brought a shift to traditional point guard responsibilities without a proper offseason, and the expected growing pains followed. The summer of 2021 brought a shoulder injury that required surgery, robbing him of another critical development window, even as the Bulls traded for Lonzo Ball and demoted Coby to the bench. Despite rushing back by mid-November, he was relatively inconsistent that season.
The 2022–23 season, Coby’s contract year, saw him accept a bench role behind Ayo Dosunmu and org decisions to add veterans like Goran Dragic and Patrick Beverley to compete for time and touches —yet he didn’t complain. Instead, he quietly dominated down the stretch—shooting 50/40/100 over the final 23 games—only to see his role diminished in crunch time once again.
Year Five was the one that changed everything. With Lonzo still out and Jevon Carter in camp, Coby won the starting point guard job. When LaVine went down, he seized the reins, becoming Chicago’s primary ball handler with poise, improved defense, and leadership. His performance earned him not just accolades but the respect of opposing coaches, encapsulated by Rick Carlisle’s endorsement: “We have a lot of respect for him and he’s a big part of our game plan.”
And Year 6 brought new challenges. With the arrival of Josh Giddey, Coby once again had to adjust to a shifting role. He began the season playing solid but unspectacular basketball—steady, but not headline-grabbing. Then came the All-Star break, and everything changed. Coby exploded in the final months, putting together the kind of dominant stretch that earned him Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors in March 2025, elevating him to a new level of greatness.
And so we arrive at Year 7.
What is in store? If the past is any indication, we can expect more growth, more leadership, and a bigger spotlight. My prediction? A well-deserved All-Star appearance and the rise of Coby White as the unquestioned best player on a surprising, playoff-contending Bulls team. We shall see. But the good news is, my prophetic predictions have been proven right 93% of the time. Go Bulls.