Coby White dodges injury scare with minor hip strain

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White is set to miss Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a mild hip strain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Coby White’s MRI revealed a mild hip strain, per @wojespn.

He could return to the lineup as soon as Saturday’s Bulls-Wizards game. pic.twitter.com/LfCM87gor7

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 14, 2024

White exited the Bulls’ previous game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night with five seconds left in the fourth quarter after Pacers star Pascal Siakam landed on him following a chasedown block. Chicago went on to win this game 132-129 in overtime. Further imaging was conducted on Thursday, revealing White’s hip strain.

The good news for the Bulls and White is that he may only wind up missing one game with this injury. As a result, he is going to be listed as day-to-day, and his status will be determined based on his response to treatment.

White, 24, is in the midst of a career season with the Bulls. As a result of Zach LaVine’s foot injuries, White stepped up into the starting lineup this season, starting in all 66 games he has played in. Thursday night’s game against the Clippers will be the first game he has missed all season long.

After agreeing to a three-year, $36 million deal over the summer in order to return to Chicago, White has averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent from three-point range. These are all new career-high averages for White.

Due to his scoring average increasing by 101 percent and after becoming more of a focal point for the Bulls offensively, White finds himself as a prime candidate for the league’s Most Improved Player Award. Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun are two other rising talents who are in competition with White for this award.

White has scored in double figures in all but three games this season, recently registering a career-high 37 points in a 113-109 Bulls victory against the Sacramento Kings earlier this month.

There is a chance that White could miss just one game and be ready to play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Currently 32-34 on the season entering Thursday night, the Bulls still find themselves in a position to contend for a playoff spot via the play-in tournament. Further updates on White’s status will be provided by Chicago on Friday.