Vice versa from his few months in Boston this time last year, Derrick White is the Celtics third option

Derrick White quickly found himself asking Spurs’ teammate Drew Eubanks what the coming steps in the process were as the center was dealt on the spot during a lift. It was the first time the guard had experienced how it goes up close and personal in-season since the Spurs had not made any trades through his young career. Little did he know, later that day, Gregg Popovich was coming to his hotel room to shock him with the news. Pop described how great of a fit the Boston Celtics was for the 27-year-old’s career. Especially with everyone he already knew between the Celtics’ established core and old Spurs coaches.

His mind raced wondering what was next. Was it MVP chants at the line on the parquet in a playoff game 14 months later?

Everybody knows about the hardships White faced when the tenure began. Yeah, he had ties with a lot of the organization’s pillars, but it is not easy blending into a contender in the ladder half of the season. Try doing it while the team’s in the midst of a historic single-season turnaround at the same time as not knowing when your wife’s going into labor.

You notice it in the sharp mental focus and stellar play. It has become simple to compare his play from the Finals run last year to now sensing his comfortability. No more on-and-off-court things going on, his first full year on the Boston Celtics has been the complete opposite of the few months after the ’22 deadline.

Some life circumstances and rarity may have delayed It, but White has become Boston’s No. 3 option:

"“I feel like from February to June it was the craziest four months or whatever of my life. Just happened so fast, having a kid during it and everything. So this year I feel just much more comfortable. I know everybody, everybody knows me and I’m excited for the year to start.” – Derrick White during media day. “I’m much more comfortable, I know where I’m supposed to be at,” said White. “On the court, off the court, everything. Just much more comfortable at this time. I was really looking forward to training camp, it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”“Trying to be more consistent,” White said in response to being asked about his offseason approach and what he was trying to improve on. “My shot, consistent with my form, stuff like that. Just try to get a little stronger, little more explosive too in the weight room.” – Rob Greene during preseason"

White has excelled through and exceeded any sort of forecasting surrounding him in his first full season in Boston. The Athletic’s and Celtics’ Jay King talked to Marcus Smart about the operation of integrating White.

Derrick White has been at another level this season for the Boston Celtics

We know about how he assured the press on Media Day heading into camp in September how he felt much better in review of last season. He acknowledged the opportunity to showcase his growth within the team. White has transcended any sort of assumption or surmise. To begin, one of the few guys in the league this season to play all 82 in the regular season.

White recorded double-digit points for a month straight from the end of January to the closing of February for an average of 19.2 points. Even earned his first career East Player of the Week honors during that span. The versatile guard who does it all remained atop the league in plus-minus through the regular season. Making the stat-sheet glare a display of White always making the correct play.

He was also very vocal about working on his stroke all summer with the change in his three-point form working with Boston Celtics assistant Ben Sullivan. His percentage from distance expanded from 31.2% to 38.1%.

Since Feb. 10 where he had a career outing of 33, 10 assists, and 8/14 from the 3-point line to make Boston explode with consecutive makes, White has not come anywhere near the breaks. Nothing short of excelling averaging 15.4 pts, 4.8 asts, and 4 boards. The splits have not slowed down either at 47.2 FG%/38.2 3-PT%.

He scored 50 in the Boston Celtics’ first two games this opening round against Atlanta in Boston propelling the Cs up 2-0. White has seemed to have upped his game even more these playoffs putting up 19.4 points on 59 FG/50 3P% across 33 minutes. Intelligently, always moving, keeping the ball moving also. White attacks the cup at will putting pressure on the defense and making life easier for Boston’s core weapons. He forever makes the right swing on the attack and knows the correct spots when going up in addition to the red-hot perimeter shooting.

The former Spur also led guards in blocks and blocks at the rim throughout the season being amongst NBA leaders. Derrick sure has an opportunity to be selected for one of the All-Defensive teams. He can defend most spots on the floor against any position. Just another fluent defensive-switching instrument integrated into the Celtics’ already-masterful philosophy.

“It’s been really great watching him because he’s playing the game that he loves at the highest level and he’s having some success at it,” Derrick’s dad, Richard White told Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston. “All through his development, he’s always not been thought of as much. And so, he’s always proved people wrong. That’s what he does.”

White had slightly imagined the fit in the past. Not just because of the familiar faces, but the similar style of play as he said on The Old Man and the Three.

"“I always thought they were missing something,” he told JJ Redick and Tommy Alter. “I didn’t know what it was at the time, but, we had played them like a month or so earlier and beat them in Boston. I don’t know, for some reason I was just thinking like, ‘I think I can be a pretty good fit there in Boston.’ Obviously, I didn’t think I’d ever be there. Not for another like, couple years at least. So, I just felt like I would be a good fit for the team. Just with my demeanor and how I play, so. When I did find out I got traded to Boston I was like, ‘Okay. I think this could be a good thing for me and my career.'”"

Brad Stevens struck gold finding himself a terrific weapon. One that embodies being a Celtic as a perfect piece.