Team USA At Paris Olympics
The Celtics' Defensive-Minded Guard Should Fill A Need For Team USA During The Paris Olympics.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - When The Roster For Team USA Was Announced Last Spring, There Was Always The Likelihood Of A Lineup Change, The Cost Of Doing Business With Kawhi Leonard And His Injury History.
So It Was No Big Surprise When Kawhi And His Tricky Knee Couldn’t Make It To The First Exhibition Game, Let Alone The Paris Games.
But What Happened Next Was A One-Word Reaction - Seriously? - That Not Only Described The Identity Of His Replacement, But The Entire Basketball Journey Of His Replacement.
That’s Because Derrick White Is An Olympian, Hard To Fathom For Someone Who Couldn’t Even Manage A Place On A Division I Roster Once He Left High School 12 Years Ago.
“Glad To Be Here,” Said White, Arriving Just Hours Before Sunday’s Practice. “Super Grateful.”
That Was Also His Response When He Transferred From D-II To The University Of Colorado And Began An Unlikely Basketball Footprint That Made An Impression From San Antonio To Boston To This, A Rare Chance To Be Amongst 12 Chosen Ones For The Olympics.
White Has Never Been An All-Star, Or All-NBA, Or Won A Major Award, Or Led The League In Any Statistical Category. But Team USA Doesn’t Have A Tryout; More Than Anything Else, This Team Is All About A Try-On - What Players Fit Best In The Scheme Of Things.
For White, His Defense, Especially On The Perimeter, Won Him Over With USA Basketball Director Grant Hill And The Coaching Staff. White Was A Key Factor In The Celtics Winning This Year’s NBA Title, Using Defensive Flexibility And Reach At 6-4, Ball Handling And Reliable 3-Point Shooting To Become The Perfect Complement To Jayson Tatum And Jaylen Brown.
#nba #basketball
26 авг 2024
