Surprise! Coby White Upgraded Before Chicago Bulls Face Boston Celtics

The Chicago Bulls got some unexpected news on Monday afternoon.

After surprisingly being upgraded to questionable coming into the day, the Bulls upgraded Coby White again in the hours leading up to tip-off. The team's leading scorer is now listed as "probable" on the injury report ahead of the team's meeting with the Boston Celtics.

White initially went down in the team's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 29. The guard asked to be subbed out before heading straight back to the locker room with a noticeable limp. He would not return to the game and was experiencing discomfort in the same calf that he injured during the summer. The strain lingered into the regular season, forcing him to miss the first 11 games of the year and sit out multiple back-to-backs.

White eventually shared that an MRI showed no further damage, though the Bulls clearly believed a pause was needed and announced that he would be re-evaluated in a week. This meant his timetable for a return wasn't supposed to hit until this Wednesday, but it appears White's recovery went ahead of schedule.

Coby White Returning Sooner Than Expected?

Coby White of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) fouls against Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson shared that White did participate in shootaround, which is presumably why the Bulls were comfortable enough to elevate his status again. Still, Billy Donovan will have to officially give the green light later this evening, and I would also expect the training staff to implement a tight minutes restriction.

Coby White's current injury designation is listed as "Right Calf, injury Management." With that being the case, it seems that they will continue to watch his workload very closely, especially after allowing him to return sooner than expected. Not to mention, the Bulls' schedule remains incredibly congested. They play four games this week, which includes a back-to-back set on Wednesday and Thursday. Will White be allowed to suit up in these contests?

Regardless, some Coby White is better than no Coby White for this banged-up Bulls team. Especially with leading floor general Josh Giddey out with a hamstring strain, this group desperately needs someone who can lead the show in key moments. This proved to be a real issue in their previous meeting against the Charlotte Hornets. The Bulls experienced a 5+ minute scoring drought in the second half and failed to score 20+ points in both the second and third quarters.

To be sure, White's injury trouble has kept him from looking the same efficient scorer Bulls fans have grown accustomed to, but he's shown signs of life in recent weeks. During the Bulls' stretch where they won five of six games, White shot 47.4 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from downtown on nearly 7.0 attempts a game. The guard has also continued to find success getting to the free throw line, averaging a career-high 6.1 attempts per game. It's very impressive that he's managed to do that even with the calf injuries.

If White is able to suit up tonight, that will leave the Bulls crossing their fingers for similarly good news on three players. Giddey, Zach Collins, and Jalen Smith have all been ruled out with varying injuries and are likely to miss more upcoming games.

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