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Derrick White’s Journey to Becoming an Essential Boston Celtic
Derrick White plays combo guard for the Boston Celtics, who happen to be currently competing with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Mr. White is not what NBA media folks colloquially refer to as a typical “apex predator.” Derrick White is more like a coywolf, a hybrid species bred from gray wolves, coyotes and sometimes even domesticated dogs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coywolf
Derrick White moves in rapid jolts and hesitations, slithering and improvising, using his narrow frame to avoid direct contact on offense then squaring his shoulders and planting his feet to absorb direct contact, and draw charges on defense. Mr. White is not a flash, not a ghost drifting between worlds, not an ephemeral idea of movement, even if his constant movement wears out opponents. In this case against the Golden State Warriors, this is especially poignant, since it’s how the Warriors usually wear down their opponents. Derrick White’s excellent conditioning was no doubt informed by the thin air of Colorado, attending both high school and college at altitude.
