​Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) in action against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Daniel Benjamin, EditorHere is something worth knowing before worrying too much about what to expect from Coby White this season.  In his 309 minutes with LaMelo Ball off the floor last season, Charlotte actually outscored opponents by 10.4 points per 100 possessions.What Charlotte Fans Should Expect From Coby White This SeasonThe Hornets’ true shooting percentage also rose 2.5%, while their turnovers remained the same. That is not the profile of a player who falls apart without Ball beside him. White has been quietly underestimated — and this season is where that changes.HoopsHype ranked White 23rd among NBA point guards heading into 2026-27. That feels about right — maybe even slightly low. He averaged 15.6 points and 3.0 assists in 19.3 minutes off the bench after arriving from Chicago in February. As a starter averaging 29 minutes a night for the Bulls earlier that same season, he was putting up 18.6 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds. The bench role in Charlotte understated him.White’s Scoring Is Not a QuestionCharlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) shoots over the defense of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the third quarter at Target Center. Photo Credit: Matt Blewett, Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectWhite’s tallied a career-high 20.4 points per game in Chicago during the 2024-25 campaign. Charlotte’s offensive system — the most shooter-friendly environment in the league, with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale all stretching the floor around him — should push that number rather than reduce it. He gets to the rim effectively, draws fouls at a decent rate and shoots 38-39% from three consistently. None of that disappears because Ball is in Minnesota.On the Kevin O’Connor Show, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor noted recently that the drop-off from Ball to White might not be as steep as people assume — and the numbers support that view. Meanwhile, Tom Haberstroh suggested Charlotte could challenge the NBA single-season three-point record this year with White, Knueppel, Allen and O’Neale all shooting at high volume simultaneously. Charlotte is not built to collapse without Ball. They are built to shoot their way through problems — and White fits that identity as well as anyone on the roster.Playmaking Is the Real TestWhite’s career high in assists is 5.1 per game, set in 2023-24 while playing alongside ball-stoppers like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine — players who consumed possessions rather than created them. In Charlotte, White will be surrounded by off-ball movers and cutters, so that number should climb. A reasonable projection for this season sits somewhere between 5.5 and 6.5 assists per game — meaningful growth that reflects both his ability and the environment around him.The honest concern is the half