Re-drafting the 2019 NBA Draft: Matisse Thybulle rises, Sixers grab scorer
18. . G. Boston Celtics. Coby White. 14. player
Re-drafting the 2019 NBA Draft — 14. Coby White, Boston Celtics
Coby White averaged 15.1 points on .416/.359/.901 shooting splits in his second season. Not bad at all, and he did so as the primary starter next to Zach LaVine in Chicago’s backcourt. That’s a role he will no longer inhabit with the arrival of Lonzo Ball, but White’s raw production — even if efficiency and consistency are issues — keeps him in the lottery.
Boston has a need for shot creators on the perimeter. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can aptly initiate the offense, but Dennis Schroder feels more like a stopgap than a permanent answer. White could slide right into significant minutes with the second unit, giving Boston another versatile shooter and ball-handler to work with.
White has not yet proven he’s a good, or even average, NBA defender, but there’s still time for improvement. He’s only 21, of course. It certainly feels as though White is approaching sixth man territory, rather than future All-Star territory, but dynamic on-ball creators carry natural upside.