Celtics' Derrick White reveals how Draymond Green 'changed his life'
04/01/2025 05:49 PM
One of the lesser talked about storylines of the last few NBA seasons has been Boston Celtics guard Derrick White’s transition from unreliable perimeter shooter into a diet version of prime Klay Thompson. White has always been elite on the defensive end of the floor, but his impeccable shooting touch and range have been a large part of the reason for the Celtics’ ascension into NBA champions.
It wasn’t always this way for White, who was traded to the Celtics midway through the 2021-22 season. During the 2022 NBA Finals vs the Golden State Warriors, the Warriors’ gameplan was largely to leave White open from beyond the arc and focus more defensive attention on Jayson Tatum, which ended up helping Golden State win the championship.
After Monday evening’s road win over the Memphis Grizzlies, White spoke candidly on how that experience became a motivating factor for him.
“How I was being guarded on that stage. I mean it was like one of the lowest points. I told Draymond after the Olympics that he kind of changed my life because they weren’t guarding me,” said White, per Celtics on CLNS on X, formerly Twitter.
An important piece for the Celtics
White may not always stuff the stat sheet for the Celtics, but he has turned himself into arguably their third best player, providing elite play on both ends of the floor and torching opponents who focus too heavily on Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
White has had several huge moments in a Celtics uniform, including most notably a game-winning layup during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat to save Boston’s season.
In the present, the Celtics are rolling as the NBA playoffs approach, winners of nine straight games, including a recent 6-0 road trip. Boston is essentially locked into the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, and they’re peaking at the right time, with the postseason set to begin in under three weeks.
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