NBA Executive Says Derrick White Is The Most Underrated Player In The League

Derrick White has received some high praise from an NBA executive who called him the most underrated player in the league.

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Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick White certainly wasn’t a household name before Game 6 between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, but he has probably become one after it. 

White made history with an incredible buzzer-beating putback which helped the Celtics come away with a 104-103 win. His shot has sent the Eastern Conference Finals to a do-or-die Game 7, and an NBA executive had some high praise for White.

“The most underrated player in the league.”

White certainly isn’t going to be underrated for much longer at the rate he’s going. Acquiring him via trade from the San Antonio Spurs last season has proven to be a masterstroke by the Celtics, as he has solidified himself as a key member of the franchise.

While made the All-Defensive Second Team this season for the first time in his career, and in these playoffs, is averaging 13.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, and 1.1 BPG. He has also been incredibly efficient, shooting 51.2% from the field, 47.5% from beyond the arc, and 92.6% from the line.


Derrick White Has Played Exceptional Defense In These Playoffs

Everyone is going to remember the shot from White, and while it certainly was the biggest one of these playoffs, it is on the defensive end where he has made the most impact. His defensive prowess is why opposing guards haven’t consistently had success against the Celtics this postseason, as he has played great defense against Trae Young, James Harden, and Jimmy Butler.

All three of them have shot under 40% from the field when guarded by White, with Butler going 12-31 (38.7%) so far. If he can put together another strong defensive performance to limit Butler in Game 7, then the Celtics will almost surely come away with the win to complete the first-ever comeback from down 3-0. Almost no one could have seen this coming, but thanks, in part, to White, his team is now just one game away from making history.

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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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