LAS VEGAS — Derrick White walked into the Cox Pavilion in the same pink polo shirt that the Celtics coaching staff donned.
Two nights earlier, he had sat courtside on the Celtics sidelines for the Summer League opener, chatting with teammates Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh.
But, that was Friday, and his afternoon spent hanging out on the sidelines seemed like a distant memory.
On Sunday, he was not a spectator: he showed up to Summer League to help coach the squad.
And, head coach Amile Jefferson was thrilled to welcome him.
“He’s such a good guy, man,” Jefferson said. “Me and him have gotten really close. Love that dude. Obviously, he’s incredible off the court, and you know, more incredible on the court. And me and him have a great relationship. We talked about it. He was like, ‘I’m going to come coach a game.’ I was like, ‘Come on, let’s do it.’”
Several people in the Celtics organization have maintained that White is poised to eventually become a great coach. In the Celtics’ 87-75 win over the Hornets, White took a backseat role, but still made his impact felt.
At multiple points in the first half, he pulled Hugo Gonzalez and pointed out some things to him on the floor.
In the second half, he pleaded his case with the officiating staff regarding a no-call against the Charlotte Hornets.
Jordan Walsh, who was sitting courtside, didn’t know White was planning on coaching the Summer League game, but that once he saw him with the coaches, it made all the sense in the world.
“He fits the profile perfectly,” Walsh said. “I was looking around for him, and I saw him on the jumbotron, and I was like, ‘What?’ or on the screen. I was like, “Huh? Yeah, he blends in perfectly.”
Rookie Dillon Mitchell, who had a career-best showing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals, said that throughout the game, White was in his ear with a simple message: “You’re not allowed to get tired.”
And, after the game, Jefferson affirmed he could see him becoming a coach.
“He’s a natural,” he said. “If he wanted to be, he’d be a head coach. I truly believe that. If he ever wants to do it, he’d be amazing. He just has great feel for people. Obviously, we all know how cerebral he is and his basketball mind, and so he’s a natural. He’d be amazing at it.”
On his way out, White held up his hands in the shape of a “W” to celebrate the win, and followed that up by signalling 1-0 to celebrate his undefeated coaching record. He shook Jefferson’s hand to thank him for giving him the opportunity.
Jefferson isn’t sure if White will be back for the Celtics’ upcoming games, but it sounds like he’d be welcome.
“We’ll see,” he said. “And if it is [his last game], he’ll probably go down as the only coach in history to be undefeated. So that’ll be a cool stat to add to his resume.”
More than anything, the Summer League head coach was grateful White took the time.
“Really good for our guys to see him doing that — to be around them, to share his knowledge with them, and then to just motivate them,” Jefferson said. “That breeds Celtics culture. That’s what it’s about.”
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