© Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Coby White's knee MRI is clean, set to play on Friday
The Chicago Bulls received some good news regarding reserve guard Coby White as an MRI revealed that his left knee only has a contusion. He will likely play during their second preseason game on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets.
Sigh of relief
White underwent an MRI earlier in the week after he promptly left the Bulls' first preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans after colliding with big man Jaxson Hayes. The team immediately announced that the fourth-year guard had a knee contusion. The MRI procedure was precautionary, said head coach Billy Donovan, and true to form, the results came back clean.
This is excellent news for the University of North Carolina product who barely broke a sweat last time. He played just two minutes and 50 seconds against the Pelicans and missed both of his attempts from the field. White spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday and confirmed that there is still pain in his knee, but not nearly enough to keep him from suiting up.
"I know it's gonna hurt, but it's just a bone bruise. The only way I can make it worse is if I get hit in it again. It doesn't hurt bad enough for me not to play," White said.
Donovan also shared that White participated fully in practice and even looked great. The team's physicians will give him a thorough check before the match against the Nuggets and decide if they will clear White to play.
Backcourt punch
White's return to the court will surely help the Bulls' backcourt. Already hampered by the absence of Lonzo Ball, White will have his work cut out leading the reserves along with Alex Caruso and Goran Dragić. Sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu is the incumbent starting point guard and will be tasked to run the show for the first unit.
The 22-year-old White averaged 12.7 points and shot 38.0% from three-point range last season. He played in 61 games for the Bulls last year, starting in 17.
