New York Knicks: 2019 NBA Mock Draft, Sweet 16 edition
player. 211. . PG. UNC. Coby White. 7
Age: 19
Height, Weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
Slash Line: .429/.363/.795
Season Averages: 16.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 2.4 3PM
The second round showcased Coby White’s development at North Carolina. He was excellent from behind the arc and contributed towards a win over No. 8 Washington. It became more fodder for this freshman guard’s development and appeal to be a top-10 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
White has ideal size for a point guard, at 6-foot-5, which stands one notch below the defensive-minded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who went to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018. The shooting is there, unlike Gilgeous-Alexander, and the big games have arrived more frequently, including a 34-point outing against Syracuse.
The size exists, but there is a reason White labels as a combo guard. He has 2.7 turnovers to 4.2 assists, which may mean any NBA offense he’s in needs another ball-handling player to supplement him in the backcourt. On the Memphis Grizzlies, as long as Mike Conley is there, it can be him.
Conley was floated in trade rumors around the February deadline. Per ESPN’s Tim McMahon, he remained to mentor Jaren Jackson Jr. The same can happen for White, despite him as the hair apparent.
One factor in the Grizzlies not trading Mike Conley: They value him as a mentor for Jaren Jackson Jr., a 19-year-old being groomed as the future face of the franchise. Conley was not eager to leave Memphis.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 7, 2019
White could add size to the New York Knicks backcourt. Dennis Smith Jr. and Emmanuel Mudiay both don’t match his height, and who knows if Frank Ntilikina will return; technically Mudiay, as well, with his restricted free agent status.