“If you didn’t know Derrick White, now you know who he is! This guy has been phenomenal all year! “. This is what Marcus Smart launched on Saturday night after his teammate’s feat in Game 6. At the buzzer, the discreet Celtics back saved the season from his training and prevented the Heat from reaching the Finals.
But this legendary basket makes us forget the impact of White on the whole meeting, only tonight in attack with 11 points and his 6 assists, but also in defense where he limits Jimmy Butler to 0 out of 6 on shots when he defended on him, or when he cashes only one basket out of 12 when he challenges a shot from Miami players. Drafted to the Second All-Defensive Team, White is the NBA’s top blocker among fullbacks, and Brad Stevens is proud to pick him up in San Antonio in February 2022.
Derrick White has ‘a super power’
“The best compliment you can give a player is probably to say that he makes everyone else better” says Celtics president. “And how many players are able to do that when you put them on the pitch? I think it’s a super power! »
Trained in a Division II university, then passed through the G-League when he arrived in the NBA, White is the very type of player who is not paid attention to. He’s not very tall, he’s not big, and he’s not a big mouth. It’s a bit of the Mr. Everyman of the NBA, and when he arrives at the room, he is simply jogging. It’s the epitome of discretion and sobriety, but he had caught Stevens’ eye during Team USA rallies.
“It’s very rare that we think, oh my god, he’s screaming, and it would be so fun to play with him” remembers Stevens. “He is very comfortable with who he is. He is interested in the team. And he’s really good. He plays in the right tempo. He is a very good defender. He always makes the extra pass. He is very energetic on the pitch. It was very visible in all of those areas.”
“The most underrated player in the NBA”?
This same Stevens wanted him to join the Celtics, and no doubt his links with Gregg Popovich allowed him to recover it last season. He’ll drop Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a first-round draft pick and a draft pick swap to snatch him from Spurs. We know the rest… The Celtics are transformed into an impregnable fortress, and they fly over the second part of the championship to reach the Finals.
This season, White stands out as the ideal complement to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum with his ability to defend against the best opposing attackers. Some leaders even consider it as ” most underrated player of the NBA. As a bonus, here he is signing the basket of these playoffs with this “game winner” who came from nowhere, to use the expression of Jaylen Brown.
“Derrick does whatever it takes to win possession. He really gives his all, and he’s really smart. And he always has a second wind” concludes Stevens. That “second wind” is that race to the circle to recover Marcus Smart’s missed shot, and give the Celtics victory in Game 6 and the hope of achieving the greatest achievement in NBA history. : win a series of playoffs after being trailing 3-0.
| Derrick White | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 17 | 8 | 48.5 | 61.5 | 70.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| 2018-19 | SAN | 67 | 26 | 47.9 | 33.8 | 77.2 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 9.9 |
| 2019-20 | SAN | 68 | 25 | 45.8 | 36.6 | 85.3 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 11.3 |
| 2020-21 | SAN | 36 | 30 | 41.1 | 34.6 | 85.1 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 15.4 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 75 | 29 | 42.1 | 31.2 | 86.4 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 13.2 |
| 2021-22 * | SAN | 49 | 30 | 42.6 | 31.4 | 86.9 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 14.4 |
| 2021-22 * | BOS | 26 | 27 | 40.9 | 30.6 | 85.3 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 11.0 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 82 | 28 | 46.2 | 38.1 | 87.5 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 12.4 |
| Total | 345 | 26 | 44.7 | 35.2 | 84.6 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 11.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
