Kobe White thanks former HC at Hornets’ first home game
At the end of a difficult month, Kobe White finally made his home debut for the Charlotte Hornets against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. The 26-year-old was surprised by retired North Carolina head coach Roy Williams, who sat courtside at the Spectrum Center to support his former student.
Williams has attended White’s NBA games before, but Saturday’s game was a special occasion for the North Carolina native. White called seeing his former head coach a “blessing” in a postgame interview before elaborating what the moment really meant to him behind the scenes.
“He called me last night to tell me he was coming,” White said, via Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer . “He didn’t tell me he was going to be courtside, though. It was nice to see him. I got to see him during the All-Star break. Through this whole process, when I got traded, he checked on me every step of the way. Obviously, he’s a legendary coach, but I’ve been gone six or seven years. I’d say our relationship in basketball is still bigger. I’d say our relationship in basketball is bigger. He’s helped me through some tough times in my life and continues to help me.”
Kobe White said Roy Williams told him Friday night he would pass before returning to Chapel Hill to watch the Tar Heels tonight: pic.twitter.com/r1KseT87UDM
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) February 28, 2026
White was born and raised in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and stayed home to play for his hometown basketball team. After seven years with the Chicago Bulls, he is now back playing in his home state.
White’s first home game with the Hornets was nothing short of a spectacle. The combo guard dropped 20 points, three rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes off the bench, playing a big role in a 109-93 win over the Blazers. Charlotte is now 3-0 White made his debut on February 24 against his former team.
2026-03-01 17:04:00
