Before he became a champion with the Boston Celtics, Derrick White had to learn how to play in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. White spent the first five years of his career under the tutelage of legendary head coach Gregg Popovich. He also immersed himself in learning from the franchise’s Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
However, the star trio were already at the twilight of their careers when White started his career in the 2017-18 season. He didn’t get a lot of playing time, only appearing in 17 games in his first season. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds on 48.5% shooting from the field. That changed in his second season, when he participated in 67 games, demonstrating that he had gained Pop’s respect and confidence.
In the recent episode of his show, “White Noise Podcast,” the 20204 champion revealed that Ginobili was the one who helped him gain confidence in himself in the league. He spoke highly of the Hall of Fame guard and revealed that the Argentinian legend helped him execute a play during a crucial moment.
White said that there was a situation where the San Antonio Spurs had no options but to put him in the game. Ginobili was on the floor with him and he asked if the legend wanted to take control. However, the four-time champion refused and gave the young guard an opportunity.
“It was a play Manu always runs, but he let me run it that time. I was able to make a play — make a spin and shoot a layup,” White related. “And it was big for my confidence. Manu trusted me not to turn it over. Manu believed in me to make a play.”
It helped him be more confident in his own game and become an important part of the Spurs’ rotation.
How good was White with the San Antonio Spurs?
White’s career took off during his second season with the San Antonio Spurs. He was integrated more into the system and had consistent minutes. That allowed him to make significant growth in his game, averaging 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
In his third year, White averaged double digits in scoring for the first time. He had 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists, making him one of the most important players of the team. In his third season, he had already increased his value and was the third leading scorer on the team.
He averaged 15.4 points, three rebounds and 3.5 assists through 38 games before he was traded to the Celtics. Although he isn’t part of the franchise anymore, fans still love seeing him in town during Boston’s road trips.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
