The story of the 2023-24 Chicago Bulls was the arrival of Coby White. The fifth-year guard saw his averages jump to 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Many around the league took notice, and White was firmly in the running for the NBA Most Improved Player award.
Despite White's big jump, he finished second in voting. Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey won the award in a 319 to 305 vote count.
It's still a bit surprising Maxey qualified for the award. He's been a starter for the past two seasons, and teams must make note of him on scouting reports. While Maxey improved his defensive game and passing this season, his numbers didn't see the same uptick as White's.
Maxey played 3.9 more minutes and averaged 5.6 more points in 2023-24 compared to last season. White saw a 13.1-minute increase and a 9.7-point jump as he went from being a sixth man to becoming the Bulls' clear No. 2 option.
Coby White's Ascension
White signed a three-year contract extension with the Bulls last offseason. There was a debate about who to keep — White or Ayo Dosunmu — but Chicago decided to bring back both players. Uncertainty floated at the time as Dosunmu experienced a sophomore slump and White played well on offense but had never really put it all together.
But with injuries aplenty in the Bulls' backcourt this season, White seized opportunities to play key minutes and hit big shots. His confidence grew and he became a lock in the starting lineup, taking on a larger workload. When Zach LaVine was ruled out for the season, White was thrust into the No. 2 role in the Bulls' offense and carried the load.
Now, White and Dosunmu are being touted as Chicago's new core. With LaVine likely on the trade block and DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic aging, the duo is worth building around if the Bulls elect to significantly reshape their roster this offseason.
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