The 23-year-old completed his two-year Mormon mission after his first year at UNC in 2011-12. This season will mark White’s second year back from the mission, and he looks to be more adjusted than he was a season ago.
“Everyone has different time tables on how quickly it takes them to get back,” said White regarding players returning from a mission. “It took me a little longer.”
White, who will be fighting for playing time in a competitive Tar Heels’ backcourt, said he uses his mission as motivation to stay positive.
“No matter what happens here, I can always tell myself that I’ve been through tougher,” he said.
“Knocking on doors all day and getting rejected by everyone, people saying nasty stuff to me — it toughens you up. It gives me self-confidence in myself that if I can go through that mission for two years, then I can go through anything.”
White played sporadically during the 2014-15 season, when he saw just 23 minutes in nine games and amassed only three assists.
The guard missed eight games in the middle of the season due to a stress reaction in his right foot.
The team White joined in 2011 as a first-year is vastly different than the group he plays with now.
