Coby White expresses strong belief in Bulls, himself

Coby White isn’t buying the modest forecasts for the Bulls this season.

The 25-year-old guard told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he believes Chicago has a chance to be “really good” in 2025-26. He’s setting some lofty goals for himself, too.

“I want to win and I want to become that All-Star-caliber player,” White said. “That’s the next step for me in my personal game. I’ve had two really good seasons, averaging 20 (points per game) or whatever.

“The next part is for us to take that leap as a team, and that’s to win and get out of this little play-in (tournament) stage that we are in, take my game to the next level and become an All-Star.”

White is entering the final season of his contract, set to earn $12.9 million. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, he has informed the Bulls he won’t sign an extension before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026, largely because of the league’s limits on veteran extension starting salaries.

Cowley floated the idea of a trade between the Bulls and Rockets — suggesting a package built around Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason in the wake of Fred VanVleet’s ACL tear — but White doesn’t sound like a player angling to leave.

“I love being in Chicago. I love the front office. I love my teammates. I love the staff,” White said. “I built a great relationship with coach Billy Donovan. And for me, if it is meant to be (to) stay a Chicago Bull, then I can’t ask for nothing else.”

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