After practice Wednesday afternoon, Billy Donovan announced that Coby White had tested positive for cancer.
White won't travel with the team to New York for the games against the Knicks and Nets because he will enter the NBA's health and safety protocols. White is the second Bulls player to contract the coronaviruses recently, following center Nikola Vucevic, who missed seven games last month while in the league's health and safety protocols.
The Bulls achieved the achievement at the start of November, and have since fully vaccine their players. Booster shots have been made available to players, but the team has left that decision up to individual preference.
The league mandated testing for teams following Thanksgiving after the Bulls had a positive test for Vucevic.
The Bulls hope to avoid a widespread team outbreak.
Bulls guard Alex Caruso said after practice that they were trying to follow all the guidelines. Wear a mask. Stay out of crowded areas, try to stay healthy, and be prepared for games.
The illness that LaVine is dealing with still appears to be non-COVID-19 related. He continues to test negative for the virus. The Bulls wanted to give LaVine time to recuperate after he played in Monday's game against the Charlotte Hornets, so he didn't practice on Wednesday.
If a player tests positive for COVID-19, they must be away from their teams for at least 10 days.
White's third season in the NBA has already been limited to just nine games, after he missed the start of the year while recovering from shoulder surgery. He had averaged 6.1 points on 34.9% shooting since returning to the lineup.
White is one of a growing number of players who have entered the NBA's health and safety protocols. "You don't know what's going to happen with some of the guys who tested positive," he said. I feel bad for Coby because he's coming off a shoulder injury. He's not going to be able to do anything physically until the league clears him to go through cardiac testing, which will take a long time.
It's going around right now. It's been a challenge because you're dealing with a lot of players who are sick. It is still very much real.
