It’s been a great 12 months for Derrick White basketball-wise.
A career year in minutes, 3-point shooting, and blocks culminated in an NBA championship that had eluded him and the Boston Celtics.
White was also a last-minute replacement for Team USA after Kawhi Leonard withdrew, and he did a little of everything on the way to earning an Olympic gold medal.
Not a lot can claim to be an NBA champion and an Olympic gold medallist in the same calendar year; just ask Jaylen Brown. Only a select few are granted an opportunity to add onto it. White and the Celtics entered the 2024-2025 NBA Season as favorites to repeat, and even the pundits who scoffed at Boston last season have sided with them.

Banner Night tends to elicit a ton of emotions, but like many of the defending champions before them, the Celtics did not disappoint the home crowd.
Boston’s dominant 132-109 victory over the New York Knicks came largely through the Celtics tying the NBA single-game record with 29 made 3-pointers. White was a great contributor to that cause, as knocked down six 3-pointers to finish with 24 points. Of course, he had his hands on the other facets of the game, finishing with three rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
The non-stop basketball has not worn down White and his availability will be critical to Boston’s bid for back-to-back titles. His roles as a playmaker, primary defender, and a clutch contributor have been a great support for Jayson Tatum and reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Jrue Holiday remains the Celtics’ starting point guard, but his injury history has made Boston cautious, especially since they are gearing up for another run until June.
White’s continued emergence should allow him to take on more lead guard duties to allow Holiday to save his body for the bigger battles. There will be moments where the former UCCS Mountain Lion and Colorado Buffalo will take Holiday’s spot in the clutch minutes, especially since he can offer even more defensive versatility and some timely scoring.
Right now, things are also working in the Boston Celtics’ favor as their Eastern Conference peers are injured, getting used to one another, or just don’t have the pieces to contend for championships this season. With the targets on their backs, the Celtics need to play smarter rather than work harder. Derrick White allows them to do that.
It will be unlikely that White will score 20 points on a nightly basis, but he will remain lethal in other ways. Besides, Boston can count on the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for points, but they will need more than that if they want to raise another banner in another 12 months.
