NEW YORK — Focus began to shift to Indianapolis as the NBA released its initial round of fan voting results Thursday for the 2024 All-Star Game.

DeMar DeRozan ranked ninth among Eastern Conference guards with 175,233 votes. After earning All-Star selections the last two seasons, DeRozan remains consistent in his output for the Bulls while stepping up as a facilitator to average 22.4 points and 5.3 assists per game. He sits ahead of Boston’s Jrue Holiday (145,144) and just behind Boston’s Derrick White (175,940).

But another name was excluded from this first round of voting: Bulls guard Coby White, who has buoyed the team with a breakout performance in his first full season as the starting point guard.

White is averaging 17.8 points and 4.8 assists per game, shooting over 39% from behind the arc to make 2.9 3-pointers per game. His averages were hindered by a slow start and a short shooting skid at the end of December, but White’s contributions have been critical in righting the ship for the Bulls.

Fan voting opened Dec. 19 and will conclude on Jan. 20, accounting for 50% of the final selection for the All-Star roster. Current players and members of the media will provide 25% of the remaining voting, respectively. Fan votes will be tripled on four remaining days of voting: Friday, Jan. 12, Jan. 15 and Jan. 19.

DeRozan isn’t a guarantee for the team. He is just on the outside of earning a spot on the Eastern Conference roster in the current fan standings, although he often performs best in player, media and coach voting and lowest in fan voting.

If neither player is selected, the Bulls would not have a representative at All-Star weekend for the first time since 2020.

White could earn an invitation through a different avenue — his shot. He has made the seventh-most 3-pointers in the NBA so far this season, tied with Indiana’s Paul George with a tally of 103 made shots from behind the arc.

While an outright selection might not be in the cards for White this year, he could still provide a strong challenge in the 3-point competition.

Regardless of whether he’s ultimately part of the festivities in Indianapolis, White is drawing out-sized attention from opponents on a scale he’s never seen before.

White doesn’t always get the best defender on the court — that’s typically reserved for DeRozan, who remains the team’s most reliant scorer and earns veteran respect from opponents. But as this season has progressed, teams have visibly changed their defensive gameplans in an attempt to stall White’s explosiveness as the well-rounded conductor of the offense.

“He’s getting different matchups from game to game due to the way he’s playing,” coach Billy Donovan said. “This is the maturation process that he has to go through with all these challenges.”

The first truly standout signal came in a rematch against the Heat on Dec. 16. White had scorched the Miami defense two nights prior, scoring 26 points off 4-for-11 shooting behind the arc while tallying 11 assists. So the Heat responded by switching Jimmy Butler — one of the cagiest defenders in the league — onto White in the second meeting.

White was surprised by the decision. Butler typically makes a better physical match to take DeRozan. His length and strength were disruptive for White, who still managed to tally 22 points and five assists.

Since then, this has become the status quo for White — and he loves it.

“I mean, who wouldn’t want this challenge,” White said. “For me, this is what you dream of — teams having to game plan against you, being a focal point of the scouting report. So for me I just get excited for the challenge. It’s a sign of respect. Mentally I go into it like every other game, but obviously I’m excited for what’s ahead of me.”

Earning that respect was never the focus for White. But it’s a clear distinction he’s arrived at a new chapter of his career — and stands on the threshold of joining a new tier of talent in the NBA.

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