UNC Basketball: 2019 NBA Draft profile of Tar Heel guard Coby White

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Roy Williams talks to Coby White #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Dean Smith Center on December 15, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 103-90. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MAY 16: Coby White speaks with the media during Day One of the NBA Draft Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 16, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

After entering the 2018-19 NCAA season without much buzz, UNC Basketball guard Coby White has launched himself into lottery consideration in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Alec Jacoby White — popularly known as Coby, UNC Basketball’s beloved afro-donning point guard — entered the 2018-19 men’s college basketball season without much buzz or ecstatic fanfare.

He was good, and he was recognized as such. A senior campaign that saw the 6-5 speed demon and offensive force set a new high school scoring record for the state of North Carolina, as he fearlessly picked apart opposing teams with a potent concoction of transition dominance and downtown sharpshooting. Pressure was placed on his opponents on a routine basis, earning him a five-star ranking and prominence as one of the state’s best young prospects.

But he wasn’t recognized as great.

He was ranked far lower than his freshman teammate Nassir Little, who was a consensus top-5 player in the high school class of 2018. For some reason, a tall point guard with dynamic scoring talent was not viewed by most (but not all) fans and media members as anything more than a multi-year college player.

Well, after recording season averages of 16.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, as well as 82 made three-pointers, three games of 30-plus points, 562 points as a freshman, and plenty of other historic stats and accolades, it seems like most of the basketball world was wrong. Very, very wrong.

With the 2019 NBA Draft only a few days away, it’s grown evidently clear that the North Carolina guard is worthy of a lottery selection, as his prowess as a scorer and potential growth as a facilitator make him one of the more intriguing young prospects in the entire draft class. He’s not on the same tier as Murray State’s Ja Morant, who’s viewed as the consensus No. 2 pick due to sub-elite athleticism and excellent passing vision/touch, but he’s far more comparable to Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland, who fits the similar mold of a score-first combo-guard on offense.

There’s a lot to like about the guard’s skill set, but he’s not a perfect prospect by any means. His game is full of nuance, with admirable and concerning traits in all areas of his game. This piece is an attempt at offering an extensive-yet-shallow look at multiple strengths of Coby White’s skill set, as well as areas that could use some fine-tuning.

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