Breaking: Chicago Bulls Prepare Coby White’s Comeback Amid Season Surge
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls are gearing up for what could be a pivotal moment in their season: the return of star guard Coby White. After sitting out the first three weeks of the campaign with a stubborn calf injury, White is one step closer to hitting the court, as the team implements a strategic plan to ease him back into action.
According to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, the Bulls have officially assigned White to their NBA G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, alongside rookie forward Noa Essengue. Both players are slated to participate in practices at the Advocate Center, a move signaling the Bulls’ cautious yet deliberate approach to White’s recovery.
The G League assignment isn’t a demotion; it’s a carefully orchestrated ramp-up. White will get the opportunity to practice and regain game speed in a controlled environment, while Essengue receives additional minutes to continue his development. Max Holbrook of Pippen Ain’t Easy notes that Essengue could even make his Bulls debut if he impresses during this stint.
White, 25, suffered the calf injury during an offseason workout in August, forcing him to miss training camp, preseason games, and the start of the regular season. Initially expected to be sidelined for only the first two weeks, the Bulls opted for a more cautious path after monitoring his progress.
In a recent interview with Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, White shared that he could make his season debut between November 16 and 19 — a window he described as “what I’ve been told.” That stretch of games sees the Bulls on a tough road trip, facing the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers, after kicking off the journey against the Detroit Pistons on November 12.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan expressed cautious optimism about White’s return. Speaking with Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Donovan confirmed that White was no longer experiencing pain but highlighted the importance of adjusting to the game’s pace after missing several weeks. Muscle injuries, Donovan noted, can be unpredictable — a lesson reinforced by the Phoenix Suns’ Jalen Green, who re-aggravated a hamstring strain shortly after being cleared to play.
Despite the layoff, White appears confident both in his recovery and the Bulls’ trajectory. Chicago has surprised many this season with a 6-4 record, briefly holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 6-1 start. White told Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune that the team’s success is no accident. He credited Donovan for fostering a culture that empowers younger players while steadily building a team identity.
“Like every other thing in life, it’s going to take time, right? You can’t flip a switch. Building a culture takes time. Building the way you want to play takes time. Building an identity takes time. The past couple of years, we’ve been working toward this. This year, it’s starting to come into fruition on the court. This didn’t happen overnight,” White said.
White is coming off his career-best season, averaging 20.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 74 games. Despite being offered an extension by the Bulls this past offseason, he declined, setting the stage for unrestricted free agency next summer — a decision that adds intrigue to Chicago’s playoff prospects should he return at full strength.
As the Bulls prepare to reintegrate White, all eyes will be on the Advocate Center and the Windy City Bulls. If the plan goes smoothly, Coby White’s comeback could provide the team with a late-season jolt, cementing Chicago as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. For now, the city waits — anticipation building with every practice session, every drill, every hint that the star guard is finally ready to reclaim his spot on the court.
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