Coby White Delivers Unmistakable Hornets Message Before Free Agency

Back in February, the Charlotte Hornets acquired Coby White in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, a deal that seemed fairly risky at the time given White's impending free agency.

Things became even more dicey when it was discovered that White's calf injury was more severe than the Hornets initially thought, so it took quite some time for the 25-year-old to actually get out on the floor.

However, as more time passed, it became that White — a Goldsboro, N.C. native and a University of North Carolina product — felt right at home in Charlotte, and the general consensus is that he will re-sign with the Hornets this summer.

But what does White himself have to say about it?

Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer had a conversation with the star guard about his upcoming decision, and it seems abundantly clear that White would prefer to stay with the Hornets.

“Obviously, love it here,” White said. “I think first off, just the people. The people, getting to know the staff and the support staff and training staff, weight room staff, just getting to know all these people, they’re just fun to be around. They create a fun environment. They create an environment to where every day you come in here, you look forward to it. You never know what you’re going to get."

White played in 21 games with Charlotte this past season, averaging 15.6 points, three rebounds and three assists over 19.3 minutes a night on 46.1/39.1/83.6 shooting splits.

“But I think that’s the most important part is, can I enjoy every day to the fullest? And I think I could do that here with the people that I’m surrounded with," White added.

Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, many felt that White could land $25-30 million annually on his next deal, but his persistent calf issue definitely threw a wrench into those plans.

At this point, White seems to favor comfort, anyway, so perhaps the Hornets will be able to retain him on a team-friendly contract.

“I think just the basketball, how they play, how they compete, what they’re building is something I can look forward to being a part of,” White said. “They say I can be a part of the culture that they’re building. And they obviously play a style that kind of benefits me. People could tell that by the end of the season, how I was playing. It was probably one of my most efficient stretches I had in terms of minutes and what I was doing in those minutes."

White didn't stop there, also adding that he feels it was "part of God's plan" for him to land in Charlotte.

Barring unforeseen circumstances between now and July, it appears that White will be remaining with the Hornets.

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