ESPN has kicked off its annual NBA Rank, a countdown of the league’s top 100 players. The list is unveiled in three waves—Nos. 100–51, 50–11, and finally the top 10. So far, only the first section has been released, and it includes just one Chicago Bulls player: Coby White.

White landed at No. 71 this year, a slight drop from his No. 58 ranking a season ago. Detailing White’s placement, ESPN’s Jamal Collier wrote, “White has emerged as the Bulls’ most consistent offensive player during his breakout stretch the past two seasons. Two years ago, the former No. 7 overall pick primarily came off the bench aside from a few spot starts for Chicago. Fast-forward to last season, where he averaged 20.4 points and 4.5 assists on 45% shooting (37% from 3) in 74 games, picking up the gap in production after the team traded away Zach LaVine.”

ESPN ranked Coby White ahead of two former Chicago All-Stars

Coincidentally, Collier mentioned LaVine, who ranked just one spot lower at No. 72, despite averaging more points and rebounds than White while shooting more efficiently from both the field and beyond the arc. Still, ESPN’s panelists placed White ahead of the sharpshooting guard.

Moreover, ESPN slotted White ahead of another former Bull, DeMar DeRozan, who came in at No. 80. That ranking raises eyebrows, given the 36-year-old played 77 games last season while averaging 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 47.7 percent shooting. DeRozan also continued his mid-range mastery, leading the NBA in field goals from 10–19 feet by a wide margin.

It’s fair to question ESPN’s rankings. White being slotted ahead of LaVine and DeRozan is already controversial, yet it might not even be the most questionable placement. (More on that later).

Nonetheless, White being ranked ahead of both former Bulls is telling. ESPN clearly projects the North Carolina product to outperform DeRozan and LaVine this season, as the rankings are “based on which player will be better in 2025–26.”

There’s also a deeper meaning. Over the past season, Chicago moved on from both DeRozan and LaVine with little return, instead focusing on internal development. By ranking White higher, ESPN seems to quietly endorse the Bulls’ decision.

Of course, ranking the 25-year-old White ahead of the 30-year-old LaVine and 36-year-old DeRozan for the 2025–26 season might seem obvious, but it isn’t. Neither veteran is slowing down. LaVine was one of just three players to average 20 points while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three, and, as mentioned, DeRozan continues to reign supreme as the NBA’s mid-range king.

ESPN clearly believes in White—at least to some extent—and seems to retroactively validate the Bulls’ trades over the past year, given his placement. Beyond DeRozan and LaVine, White is also ranked ahead of Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, Naz Reid, and Stephon Castle.