Coby White Commits
RELATED: Roy's Radar - Class of 2018
Coby White, a 6-3, 170-pound rising junior from Wilson, NC, has committed to North Carolina, sources close to the situation have confirmed to THI.
White, a 4-star shooting guard ranked the No. 61 prospect in the class of 2018, was offered by Roy Williams on Monday night, and it didn’t long for White to decide where he wanted to play his college basketball.
“Last night I was thinking about it really hard and I couldn’t even sleep,” White told THI on Thursday afternoon. “So I woke up this morning and knew I wanted to be a Tar Heel.”
What was it that sold him?
“The family atmosphere, it just felt like the right place for me and it was close to home,” he said. “And I developed a really good relationship with Coach Williams and Coach (CB) McGrath. And it was close to my family.”
Williams was quite excited when White gave him the news.
"He was like 'Woah, man are you serious? Then he said 'excuse me' and he screamed in the phone," White said. "He was just really excited. Kept saying how excited he was and said it made his day. He said he was going to remember this day for a long long time."
White has also been offered by Clemson, Virginia, and Wake Forest, among others. Missouri and Ohio State have shown increased interest of late. White has exploded in recent months, raising his game and the interest of the Tar Heels.
White exploded earlier this month scoring 28 points for the CP3in 16-U squad in front of Williams at the Fab 48 in Las Vegas. Williams saw him a few others times, there, too. The performances convinced the Hall of Fame coach to extend an offer.
“He talked about how I play and how I played in July,” White said about his phone call with Williams on Monday night, the evening he was offered. “He really liked it a lot, and then he offered me.”
The Greenfield High School product visited UNC in June and had a tremendous experience. Aside from the usual things prospects get to see, it’s what he learned playing pickup with some current Tar Heels that awakened him to some realities, but he views this as a positive.
“They were so big, so much older it seemed,” White said. “They were so much faster and stronger than what I’m used to. I didn’t play great but I learned a lot. I know what I have to do to get ready for that level.”
Some prospects’ confidence might be shaken if that’s how they viewed a similar experience, but not White. He loves a good challenge and knows that playing at UNC will be just that. His grit will lead him through the process, he says.
"They're getting a hard-nosed, energetic and competitive guard who loves getting into the open court in transition,” he said. “And loves to win games and that can score. There's nothing I can really add, they already have everything. I just hope to come in and do all that I can to help them win."
White is the second member of the class of 2018 to have committed to the Tar Heels. He joins 6-5 point guard Rechon Black from Concord, NC, in the class. Black, the No. 26 overall player in the class, attended Concord High School the last two years, but recently announced he is transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida.
White is looking forward to being backcourt mates with Black.
"I think me and him can be really good together. We really complement each other."
*Clint Jackson contributed to this report.
