The Derrick White saga continues.
During the Boston Celtics' win against the San Antonio Spurs on New Year's Eve, White was once again given his flowers. This time, the love stemmed from the fans of his former team. Frost Bank Center erupted into “White's an All-Star!” chants in the fourth quarter, a sign of recognition for someone the Spurs faithful held dear once upon a time.
Asked how it felt to be given praise from a place he once used to play for, White reciprocated the love towards the fans during a postgame interview.
“I got a lot of love and respect for the fans here,” White said, via Celtics on NBC Sports Boston. “Great memories — just thankful. I'm just thankful.”
"WHITE'S AN ALL-STAR"
Jrue Holiday crashes Derrick White's walk-off interview after receiving all-star chants down in San Antonio pic.twitter.com/IqSpb43Psl
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 1, 2024
Derrick White's early years
It's no surprise why the 29-year-old is still cherished in San Antonio. Playing under Gregg Popovich for more than four seasons, Spurs fans were able to witness White's growth from a rookie to the weapon he is now for the Celtics.
Entering the league out of the University of Colorado Boulder, White started to garner media attention in his second season, particularly during the Spurs' 2019 first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. In game 3 of that series, he scored a career-high 36 points, leading the Spurs to a 2-1 advantage over Denver.
In his fourth year with the Spurs, White averaged 15.4 points per game, despite only appearing in 36 games due to injuries.
Now with the Boston Celtics, the softspoken Colorado native is having his best year, averaging 17.0 points and 5.3 assists per game — while continuing to show the humility he's widely known for having.
During the press conference after New Year's Eve's game, White humbly credited the Celtics, saying that if he somehow gets selected to the All-Star game, it would be because of the current Boston team.
“I think if I were to make the All-Star game, it's because of how much we're winning and the type of team we have,” he said.
Derrick White reacts to getting All-Star chants on the road in San Antonio 🏆 pic.twitter.com/c7ryqQq2a9
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 1, 2024
Whether or not he makes the All Star game this year, Derrick White is already a winner, considering how he's captured the hearts of Celtics and Spurs fans alike.
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