Bulls’ Coby White Nearing Return From Calf Strain Injury

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White has been sidelined due to a right calf strain, but he could be making his season debut soon, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.

Coby White Expected To Return In Mid-November

Lorenzi unveiled that White highlighted Chicago’s three-game road trip starting on Nov. 16 or one of the following games against the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers as “what [he’s] been told” for a potential return.

White and head coach Billy Donovan both said that White will likely begin practicing next week, and Donovan cited the team’s three-day break starting Nov. 13 as the perfect time for White to rejoin full-contact practices.

Coby White doing some on-court stuff with trainer Matt Voss. pic.twitter.com/iz84hTuxVm

— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) November 6, 2025

Per Lorenzi, White has already resumed on-court basketball activities, playing 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 with the player development staff and certain Bulls teammates.

White sustained the injury in mid-August and didn’t play in any preseason games. There was initial optimism that he could return to game action ahead of the regular-season opener.

Instead, the team announced that week that White would be reevaluated after experiencing calf tightness.

“I just practiced, and I probably practiced a little too long, and I felt some symptoms,” White said of the delay. “It wasn’t a re-strain or anything, it was just a minor setback.”

White To Become Free Agent Next Summer

In 74 games (73 starts) last season, White averaged a career-high 20.4 points to go along with 3.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 33.1 minutes per contest. The UNC product also shot 45.3% from the floor and 37% from deep.

White was also named Eastern Conference Player of the Month in March. He had three straight games of 35 points or more and finished the month averaging 27.7 points.

The former first-rounder recorded a career-high 44 points in a win at Orlando on March 6. He finished 16-of-28 (57.1%) shooting from the floor and 7-for-15 (46.7%) from beyond the arc.

In addition, White finished second behind Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey in Most Improved Player voting in the 2023-24 season after averaging a then-career-best 19.1 points on 44.7% shooting from the field.

Per Spotrac, White is now in the final season of his three-year, $36 million contract. His deal includes nearly $4 million in total incentives, and he’s earning $12.88 million this campaign.

He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.