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Andrien White. Photo by Chris Crews
Coming into the 2015-16 season, Charlotte basketball was surrounded by questions. Is Mark Price the right hire? How would Charlotte respond with so many players leaving? Who would step up?
Freshman sensation Andrien White is providing a lot of answers.
To begin, White comes from a family that only knows basketball. His father played college basketball at Morehouse College and his brother, Andrew, is a member of the University of Nebraska’s basketball team.
“Everybody in my family has played basketball for a long time, so I grew into it,” White said. “Watching tape of my dad and going on recruiting visits with my brother inspired me to be able to go through the same.”
Perhaps even the one-on-one games with his brother payed its dividends.
“We played a few times and he [Andrew] would beat up on me when we were young.” But he hasn’t beaten me since then.”
The guard was one of Price’s last signees before the season started. The Richmond, Va. native thrived at Thomas Dale High School for three years before finishing his prep career at Quality Education Academy, where he averaged 14 points and 4.5 rebounds.
White held offers from several mid-major schools, but decided on Charlotte after the hiring of Price.
“Being a guard and getting the chance to learn from and play for coach Price, played a major factor in my decision to sign with the 49ers,” White said on his college decision.
One thing is sure about White, he isn’t shy about showcasing his talents. He gave Niner Nation a sneak peek at what he could offer the 49ers with acrobatic dunks at Basketball Madness in October.
But what separates White from other freshman around the nation is the importance placed on defense.
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Andrien White playing defense. Photo by Chris Crews.
“The game of basketball is both sides [offense and defense],” White said. “But defense definitely contributes to offense, so starting on the defensive end gets the rest of my game going.”
Coming to Charlotte, White’s high school coach, Isaac Pitts, called him “one of the best on-the-ball defenders” in all of high school basketball.
White has proven himself and his coach right by being aggressive on the ball and in the passing lanes. On the year, he leads the team in steals with 25 and has the duty of guarding the opposing teams best player some nights.
But White is much more than a defensive stopper. In the first four games of the season, he scored in double figures, including a 21 point performance against East Carolina and a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against Furman. Later in the season, White led Charlotte to their first conference victory by pouring in a career-high 27 points.
“He is a young player that we are really excited about and that has a bright future for us,” coach Price said after White’s performance. “He continues to get better and better.”
White’s ability to shine as a two-way player has garnered much attention by winning Conference USA “Freshman of the Week” twice.
“The coaching staff and my teammates have put me in a great position to be successful,” White gratefully said on receiving the accolades.
The first week White was honored as Freshman of the Week, he averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals. He was even better the second time he won the award with 23.5 points, three rebounds and 2.5 steals for the week.
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Andrien White from three. Photo by Chris Crews.
Offense and defense, White brings both to the court. But the one aspect of his game that stands out is his energy. White plays the passing lanes with a vengeance, similar to all-time Charlotte steals leader Pierria Henry. Yet, there have been numerous occasions when he has been too aggressive and misreads the pass. But, White’s energy allows him to recover and get back into the defensive possession.
Another example of White’s energy is his play on the boards. Standing at 6-foot-3, the combo guard has recorded two games with double-digit rebounds and ranks fourth on the team. The guard is unlike any regular perimeter player. Fans watch as White battles with big men to grab the offensive rebound, something that a guard is not asked to do. Yet, more times than not, White’s energy results in another possession, one reason why he leads the 49ers in rebounds by a guard.
A true testament of White’s energy was his warrior-like performance against Marshall. The freshman literally gave it all in front of Niner Nation, unable to walk off Halton Arena due to cramps. Before the painful victory walk-off, White recorded his second double-double and career-high in points with 30 and 10 rebounds.
“I like the 30 points, but I like the ten rebounds better,” Price jokingly said postgame. “Andrien played his heart out. But when he get’s going…he get’s going.”
The freshman is off to an impressive start to his 49er career, but with three more years remaining, there is no ceiling to his potential. On the year, White is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11 points a game to go along with 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
“I try and do a little bit of everything, whatever the team needs,” White said on his role.
A little bit of everything has turned into a lot of production. White has cemented himself as one of the leaders of Charlotte’s youth movement under coach Price.