The 1992 Dream Team was defined by Michael Jordan. By Magic Johnson. By Larry Bird. Those are the names and faces remembered, just as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant will be the ones remembered from this year’s team. But the Boston Celtics are just as synonymous with this group.
Boston makes up one-fourth of the entire roster. Jrue Holiday got the start in Team USA’s opener vs. Serbia, and against South Sudan, Jayson Tatum got the nod after playing zero minutes in the previous contest. Yet neither has been the true story of the Olympics for the reigning NBA Champions.
That’s been Derrick White.
Celtics guard Derrick White is the perfect Team USA player
A last-minute addition to the roster, White has done nothing but impact winning since joining the team. On a squad full of future Hall-of-Famers and legends, he’s the only player without an All-Star appearance, but you wouldn’t know it.
“He’s done that the whole year,” Jrue Holiday said of White after Team USA’s win over Serbia. “Last one here, but it feels like he fit in, like usual. The way that he plays is amazing.”
Through two games, White has played 16.4 minutes per contest. He’s averaging 6.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting an unconscious 80.0% from the floor and 75.0% from distance.
White’s seamless abilities as a connector on offense are somehow outshined by his lights-out defense. The best shot-blocking guard in the NBA has translated that skill to Olympic basketball, and ball-handlers on the perimeter are put in a torture chamber whenever he’s manning them up.
“Derrick, he has been booming, doing everything that he does, him being a plug and replace guy, you can put him in any system, and he will know what to do,” Tatum said after their win over South Sudan.
As James, Durant, and newly minted sharpshooter Bam Adebayo led the way on Wednesday, White simply played his role. He finished as a +18 in Team USA’s 103-86 victory.
In the shadows of some all-time greats, White is the perfect Team USA player. But why is that the case?
Every iteration of Team USA will need a LeBron James or Kevin Durant. The guy willing to step up and take the big shots. The guy who will have the ball in his hands when it matters. Anthony Edwards played that role during the FIBA World Cup in 2023, and he and Jayson Tatum could have a chance to play that role after the current hierarchy retires.
But the entire roster cannot be populated with that type of player. Perhaps that’s the reason Jaylen Brown didn’t make the cut. It could be why Tatum was benched in Team USA’s Olympic debut. Why Joel Embiid didn’t play against South Sudan.
Team USA needs Derrick Whites, not more stars
The reality is that there are only so many touches to go around. And for players who are used to constantly having the ball in their hands, it’s not easy to adjust to a new role.
White doesn’t have that problem.
On the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics, White was one of the best players. But he wasn’t the focal point. In fact, he was almost the opposite.
Every once in a while, he would have an offensive explosion (like his 38-point masterclass against the Miami Heat in Round 1), but he made his money away from the ball.
White is one of the best catch-and-shoot three-point shooters in the league, but he’s also capable of creating for himself. He thrives as a connector but can also handle the ball and make plays for others. His on-ball defense is elite, but he’s even better as an off-ball floater, scouring for blocks.
It’s that versatility that makes him such a perfect fit with Team USA. He’s a space station amongst the stars, freely floating around, doing whatever the team needs him to do. And he’s perfectly happy with that role.
“It makes it easy for me and Jrue,” White said. “We just try to go out there and do what we do and try to help us impact winning whenever we can. I know we’ve got a lot of talented guys on the team.”
Filling up the roster with ball-dominant headliners only makes sense for the purpose of publicity. At the end of the day, Team USA is in Paris to win basketball games, and having a guy like White on the roster helps them do just that.
That’s why this should be their obvious next step.
LeBron James is 39 years old. Stephen Curry is 36. Kevin Durant is 35. Jrue Holiday is 34. That makes one-third of the entire Team USA roster that likely won’t be playing again by the time the 2028 Olympics roll around. Anthony Davis (31) could be thrown into the group as well depending on where his oft-injured career takes him.
The point is that White is already on the team, and when the group gets geared up to play again four years from now, he should still be on the team.
White should be welcomed on Team USA for as long as he wants.
Team USA should keep Derrick White on the roster for as long as possible
If Grant Hill went to a lab and attempted to make the perfect role player for Team USA, he couldn’t do any better than White. He’s the best guy for the job right now, and barring any substantial changes with his game or playing status, he’ll still be the best guy for the job for Los Angeles in 2028.
If White wants to play in the FIBA World Cup, let him. If he wants to represent the USA in the Olympics, let him. There will always be stars to fill out the roster. Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo, and Tyrese Haliburton are already on the team, and guys like Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, and Donovan Mitchell might want a shot in the future. But there will always be room for White.
While watching the Olympics this year, Hill should come to one obvious conclusion for his next step—ensure White will be on the roster until he retires.
LeBron James is 39 years old. Stephen Curry is 36. Kevin Durant is 35. Jrue Holiday is 34. That makes one-third of the entire Team USA roster that likely won’t be playing again by the time the 2028 Olympics roll around. Anthony Davis (31) could be thrown into the group as well depending on where his oft-injured career takes him.
The point is that White is already on the team, and when the group gets geared up to play again four years from now, he should still be on the team.
White should be welcomed on Team USA for as long as he wants.
Team USA should keep Derrick White on the roster for as long as possible
If Grant Hill went to a lab and attempted to make the perfect role player for Team USA, he couldn’t do any better than White. He’s the best guy for the job right now, and barring any substantial changes with his game or playing status, he’ll still be the best guy for the job for Los Angeles in 2028.
If White wants to play in the FIBA World Cup, let him. If he wants to represent the USA in the Olympics, let him. There will always be stars to fill out the roster. Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo, and Tyrese Haliburton are already on the team, and guys like Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, and Donovan Mitchell might want a shot in the future. But there will always be room for White.
While watching the Olympics this year, Hill should come to one obvious conclusion for his next step—ensure White will be on the roster until he retires.
