Unfortunately, it seems to be a challenge for many fans to focus on anything other than the three-point shooting when it comes to Derrick White. He has been up and down this season, and the sample size is still relatively small, but his down year a season ago is still fresh in the minds of many.
By now, though, Celtics fans should realize that White’s impact goes well beyond his shooting and, if anything, when he makes them, it has become a bit of a bonus. But he’s certainly still capable, and the defense has to respect his stroke. In 12 games so far, he has already knocked down 3+ threes in three of them, and in his most recent one, he added four blocks on the defensive end.
That may sound like an aberration, but for White, that’s nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, his performance against the Raptors was the 23rd time in D-White’s career that he has posted three or more blocks and three or more three-pointers made in the same game.
That puts Derrick at eighth all time in that category, and he’s the only guard to appear on the list that’s littered with shooting big men. Brook Lopez tops the history books with 47 such games, with Kevin Durant, Myles Turner, Kristaps Porzingis, Victor Wembanyama, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Dirk Nowitzki trailing him.
D-White in rarified air as a guard defender
And then there’s the 6 foot four, 190-pound guard, White, looking like a polar bear in Arlington on this list of 7-footers. Not only is it impressive that White is the only guard on the list, but it’s also incredible that he’s one of the youngest players on the list, with only Wemby and JJJ as his juniors.
No matter how you slice it, it’s absurd what White has been able to do, and keeps doing, in his career. He may never make an All-Star team, but he’s still somehow underrated for his two-way impact, and he’s building a case as one of the best guard defenders of all time.
His shot-blocking for a player of his stature is second to none, and that’s just a small part of what he does. The same is true of his three-point shooting on offense, as he’s an impact playmaker and connector who rarely turns the ball over and is always in the right place.
So, while it’s a bit frustrating to see him struggle to find his shot, it’s important to remember how much he impacts the game in other ways. It’s not a coincidence that the Celtics are a better team with White on the floor, and have been for years. If he gets hot from three, then look out, because he’ll instantly become one of the highest-impact players in the whole league.
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