Jack White
· Year: Senior
· Height: 6-foot-7
· Position: Forward
· This year’s stat line: 3.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 15.6 MPG
· The Blue Zone’s projected stat line: 6.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 24.6 MPG
Season breakdown: Jack White’s playing career ended with just as much disappointment as how the season ended. Moving on from his best year at Duke, the senior couldn’t seem to find a role on the court, despite the losses of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. However, White still contributed from the sidelines and off the court as one of the team's captains.
In a year with hopes for more opportunity to command the floor, the Aussie saw a drop in minutes (20.4 to 15.6) and the rest of his stats followed: points per game dropped by 1.0, rebounds per game dropped by 1.8 and blocks dropped by 0.4 per contest. In the early days, White seemed like one of the team’s primary interior defenders, but his lack of offensive ability often held him out of games—he only hit double-digit scoring once this season with an 11-point outing against Wake Forest.
White returned for his second season as a team captain, a title which he takes to heart. His veteran leadership in the locker room and on the court helped guide the rookie-heavy team to a 25-6 season. Although White’s time as a Blue Devil came abruptly to an end, he will remain in the hearts of all the players he mentored and Cameron Crazies he electrified.
Results relative to expectations: Many saw this season as a possible final step in progression for the two-time captain. After steadily improving over the previous three years, another boost in minutes may have worked him higher in head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s rotation. Sadly, that isn’t how it panned out for the Australia native. With a defensive-minded backcourt duo of Tre Jones and Jordan Goldwire, White just couldn’t provide the offense that Krzyzewski needed and thus saw his playing time submerge, only cracking double digits minutes in two of the team’s last nine games.
Stay tuned to the Blue Zone for our continuing player reviews. Previous players previewed include Alex O’Connell and Joey Baker.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.