{"id":371489,"date":"2025-11-11T12:12:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T12:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371489\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T12:12:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T12:12:24","slug":"chicago-basketball-report-early-season-injuries-hitting-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371489\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago basketball report: Early-season injuries hitting teams"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the Chicago Bulls move one step closer to a complete roster, the Illinois men\u2019s basketball team faces a key loss due to injury. And there are some Top 25 college basketball matchups on the horizon this week.<\/p>\n

Every Tuesday, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened \u2014 and what\u2019s ahead \u2014 for the Bulls, Sky and local college basketball teams. Want more? Sign up for our Tribune sports newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Coby White practices with the Windy City Bulls<\/p>\n

The Bulls moved a step closer to regaining star guard Coby White<\/a> on Monday.<\/p>\n

After missing the first 10 games of the season with a calf strain, White practiced with the Windy City Bulls \u2014 the team\u2019s G League affiliate \u2014 at the Advocate Center before rejoining the first team to sit on the bench for Monday\u2019s game against the San Antonio Spurs<\/a>. Coach Billy Donovan said White was able to participate fully in scrimmaging and underwent the entire practice without any complications.<\/p>\n

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As Coby White works toward a return, he believes he\u2019ll fit \u2018perfectly\u2019 with surprising Chicago Bulls\u2019 style<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The next step for the Bulls is to wait. The team will not know how White handled this increased activity until Tuesday morning. The guard previously felt discomfort the day after attempting to return to practice, which resulted in a two-week extension of his recovery program. If White feels comfortable after practicing with Windy City this week, the Bulls expect the guard to return to practice Thursday following the team\u2019s road game against the Detroit Pistons.<\/p>\n

White has not played basketball since mid-August, when he sustained the injury. The guard is still working to regain his fitness to play at full speed in an NBA game, but Donovan praised him for his work to maintain his weight and fitness despite these months-long limitations.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo his credit, I think he\u2019s kept himself in pretty good shape,\u201d Donovan said. \u201cConsidering the fact that he hasn\u2019t played very many games, he\u2019s done a good job taking care of himself. Right now, everything seems to be progressing in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donovan hopes that White will be cleared to return to play at some point during a three-game West Coast road trip next week that includes stops in Utah (Nov. 16), Denver (Nov. 17) and Portland (Nov. 19).<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Chicago is getting accustomed to playing shorthanded. The Bulls played without White and fellow guard Josh Giddey \u2014 who suffered an ankle sprain in a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> \u2014 against the Spurs.<\/p>\n

Illini down one Ivi\u0161i\u0107
\n\"IllinoisIllinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivi\u0161i\u0107 celebrates after making a shot during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats in round two of the NCAA tournament at Fiserv Forum on Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Milwaukee. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

No. 14 Illinois<\/a> battled health issues all preseason, including guard Andrej Stojakovi\u0107 (knee) and guard Mihailo Petrovi\u0107 (hamstring) missing time.<\/p>\n

Now, as the Illini prepare to face No. 11 Texas Tech on Tuesday at State Farm Center, they\u2019re dealing with another absence. Coach Brad Underwood announced Friday, after a 113-70 win over Florida Gulf Coast<\/a>, that junior center Tomislav Ivi\u0161i\u0107 will miss time with a knee injury he suffered in practice.<\/p>\n

Underwood said the injury is not season-ending.<\/p>\n

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How Illinois\u2019 \u2018Balkan Five\u2019 came together \u2014 and are giving the No. 17 Illini a new sound<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s the latest in a string of health challenges for Ivi\u0161i\u0107, who missed practice time in October after having his tonsils removed. Last season, his first at Illinois, he had mononucleosis<\/a> and an ankle injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one thing I know about Tomi, he\u2019s maybe as tough as any kid that I\u2019ve coached,\u201d Underwood told reporters at his postgame news conference. \u201cAnd he\u2019s going to do everything in his power to be back as soon as he can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stojakovi\u0107, following his recovery, made his debut Friday with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and three turnovers. Underwood said the Cal transfer guard was anxious in the first half but settled down to find a rhythm in the second. Petrovi\u0107 is working his way back and could dress for Tuesday\u2019s game, Underwood told reporters Monday, though it\u2019s unclear if he would see any time on the floor.<\/p>\n

The Illini have frontcourt depth even without Ivi\u0161i\u0107. His 7-foot-2 twin brother Zvonimir Ivi\u0161i\u0107 had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks and 6-foot-9 freshman forward David Mirkovi\u0107 had 17 points and 11 rebounds Friday.<\/p>\n

Irish step up competition Saturday
\n\"NotreNotre Dame Fighting Irish guard Cassandre Prosper battles TCU Horned Frogs guard Madison Conner for a loose ball in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey opted to play her starters deep into the 116-58 blowout of Chicago State<\/a> on Sunday. She wasn\u2019t trying to run up the score on the Cougars, who are in their second season under coach Corry Irvin.<\/p>\n

Ivey just wanted to continue to develop the chemistry of a largely retooled group led by preseason All-American Hannah Hidalgo \u2014 and get their cardio conditioning up too. Cassandre Prosper (28 points, seven rebounds, eight steals) and KK Bransford (21 points, 13 rebounds) came up big behind Hidalgo in the second easy win of the season.<\/p>\n

Prosper played in 34 games with four starts last season for the Irish team that made the Sweet 16, but she is seeing an increased role this year after five key players either graduated or transferred. Bransford is back after missing last season with a lower leg injury.<\/p>\n

The No. 18 Irish<\/a> face Akron on Wednesday but then will see a significant step up in competition. They play No. 14 Michigan in Detroit on Saturday before hosting No. 8 USC on Nov. 21.<\/p>\n

Number of the week: 44.7
\n\"ChicagoChicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter drives to the basket during the first quarter of the home opener against the Detroit Pistons at the United Center on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

One crucial factor is helping to power the Bulls in their early-season success<\/a> \u2014 the bench.<\/p>\n

The Bulls bench averaged 44.7<\/strong> points per game in the first nine games of the season. This is the third-largest bench production in the entire NBA behind only the Miami Heat (49.7) and the Memphis Grizzlies (49.5).<\/p>\n

This prolific outpouring from the bench is reflective of the Bulls\u2019 offensive ethos this season. Rather than relying on one or two stars, the Bulls are balancing their scoring across the entire roster. Six players currently average double-digit scoring. Two of those players \u2014 Kevin Huerter (13.1) and Ayo Dosunmu (14.6) \u2014 came off the bench for the entirety of the season.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s still too early to make any bold predictions, but the Bulls could be on track to beat their franchise record for bench scoring averages if this output holds. Their current production easily outpaces the top bench scoring in team history since 1970-71, with the previous benchmark set at 41 points per game in the 2017-18 season.<\/p>\n

Week ahead: Bulls<\/p>\n