Derrick White returned to his old playground this weekend to close the calendar year as the Boston Celtics visited the San Antonio Spurs. Following White's 24-point performance, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had nothing but good things to say about his former player's growth throughout the years.

“I couldn't be more proud of a player,” said the legendary Spurs mentor following San Antonio's 134-101 loss to the Celtics on New Year's Eve. “When he first came, I don't think he believed he belonged in the NBA. And to watch him develop through the years here, starting with the G League and playing with us and then starting for us and then taking more steps in Boston, has just been a thrill to watch. He's one of the greatest guys ever, and his confidence has just exploded.”

“He's a great story in starting out at the bottom and believing in himself and doing the work necessary to get where he is now.”

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White spent the first four and a half years of his career in San Antonio, where he slowly worked his way up into coach Gregg Popovich's good graces. From spending time in the G-League to eventually becoming a starter, it was with the Spurs where White established his groundwork of becoming a solid NBA player.

White has since ascended as one of the main weapons for the Celtics this 2023-24 NBA season. His leap is one of the reasons why the Celtics are the top team in the NBA. It took a long way to get to this point — from playing in the G-League to learning under the tutelage of Coach Pop, to now being a vital piece on a title team. But Derrick White is finally here.