This Might Be The Most Impressive Player In The NBA Right Now
Shooting guard Derrick White is flourishing with the Boston Celtics
After spending three years as the Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens has just been named the NBA Executive of the Year. It didn’t come easy, though. When he took the job in 2021, he was faced with many decisions to make and even conducted a few trades and acquisitions.
However, his best move took place in the middle of the 2021-22 season.
On Feb. 10, 2022, Stevens traded Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for shooting guard Derrick White. White, who played his first four years in the NBA with San Antonio, posted admirable numbers. He averaged 11.6 points per game, along with 3.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He also helped them make the postseason twice, even averaging 15.1 points in the 2019 playoffs.
Although White played well with the Spurs, his play in Boston stunned fans. He started in just four of his first 26 games with the Celtics but went on to average 11 points.
The 2022-23 season was his breakout one as a Celtics player. During that campaign, he logged in 12.4 points a game which included a career-high 33 points on Feb. 10. His defense also saw an increase that season as he recorded a career-high total of 76 blocks. Those efforts helped him find a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, the first All-Defensive Team appearance of his career.
When the 2023 playoffs arrived, White continued to push harder. He put in 13.4 points a game, as well as 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 blocks. His most unforgettable moment of that playoff run was during the last second of Game 6 of Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. With the Heat holding a 103-102 lead and a 3-2 series advantage, White tipped in a missed shot to beat the buzzer and force a Game 7.
This year was even better for White in terms of numbers. He finished the season with averages of 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks. Not to mention, with the steals and blocks numbers, there is a huge chance he makes another All-Defensive Team appearance. So far, his presence has also been significant for the Celtics in these playoffs. He is contributing with averages of 21.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 blocks, all setting career-highs.
Without a doubt, having Stevens in the front office is paying off dividends.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Fansided’s Wiz of Awes. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson