Ever since the 2022 NBA Finals, most Boston Celtics fans probably haven’t been too fond of Draymond Green. That’s just what he does. If he plays your favorite team in a playoff series, the fanbase probably exits the series with a bad taste in their mouth. That’s what makes him such a special player—his ability to get under people’s skins. But it worked out for Derrick White.
In the 2022 Finals, White was just finishing his first half-season with the Celtics. They acquired him at the trade deadline, and he rapidly turned into a crucial pillar of their lineup throughout the playoffs.
But he had one fatal flaw: An inconsistent three-ball.
Draymond Green and Warriors in 2022 NBA Finals helped force Derrick White be a better shooter
White shot 10-of-25 in the Finals. A solid 40% from deep. But throughout the entire 2022 playoff run, he shot just 31.3% from long range. And his 40% in the Finals was a bit fake.
See, while the shots went in, that was a part of the Warriors’ game plan. They were okay letting White, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford get some open threes because they didn’t think they could make enough to beat them.
In fact, after the Celtics’ Game 1 victory, Green admitted as much.
“They hit 21 threes, and Marcus Smart, Al Horford and Derrick White combined for 15 of them,” Green said via Mark Medina. “Those guys are good shooters, but they combined for 15-for-23. 15-for-23 from those guys, eh, we'll be fine."
Draymond Green breaks down what went wrong pic.twitter.com/NY7iioI2XE
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 3, 2022
Since then, not only has White shaken the title of “inconsistent three-point shooter,” he’s turned into one of the best shooters in the NBA. And on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, he made history.
White set the record for most threes made in a single season by a Celtic, breaking Isaiah Thomas’ record. He credited the Warriors series for his development and specifically mentioned that he thanked Green during the 2024 Olympics for helping him improve as a shooter.
"How I was being guarded on that stage, I mean, it was like one of the lowest points,” White said via CLNS. “I told Draymond after the Olympics that he kind of changed my life because they weren't guarding me.”
Derrick White told Draymond Green he changed his life after how he guarded him in NBA Finals:
"How I was being guarded on that stage. I mean it was like one of the lowest points. I told Draymond after the Olympics that he kind of changed my life because they weren't guarding… pic.twitter.com/ifRJU1Q13q
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) April 1, 2025
White spoke about training sessions with long-time trainer Marcus Mason, referring back to how much he disliked the feeling that he was being left open to shoot.
Now, he’s anything but a liability. He’s a serious threat from behind the arc.
Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard are also in line to break Thomas’ record, so there’s a chance one of them finishes the season as the Celtics’ all-time single-season leader. Still, White’s progress as a shooter has been remarkable, and Green and the Warriors are to blame. Or, in the case of Celtics fans, they are to thank.