San Antonio Spurs: Evaluating Derrick White’s second season

Derrick White has gone from garbage time specialist to starter in just one season for the San Antonio Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs have had another injury-plagued start to the season, particularly among the guard rotation. However, through it all the Spurs have managed to unearth a diamond in the rough in Derrick White.

Last season, White played in just 17 games and averaged 3.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. He did play 24 games for the Austin Spurs in the G League, showing his promise by averaging 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

This season, White has already played 41 games, averaging 9.0 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. These numbers are certainly an increase in production from last season.

White missed the first nine games of this season, but since then he has not missed a game. Twice this season, he’s had three games in a row with double-digit scoring. The Spurs went 1-2 both times, but it was a sign of things to come.

At the end of December, White went on a scoring tear. He had eight games in a row where he scored 10 points or more. On New Year’s Eve, he scored a career-high 22 points in a win against the Boston Celtics. He then topped that mark by scoring 23 points in a double-overtime win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. White is clearly not afraid of the moment, as these are two of the league’s best teams.

What is even better is that the Spurs had a 6-2 record during this stretch. White has managed to integrate his skill-set into the Spurs system, and as a result coach Gregg Popovich is playing him a lot .

By the numbers

White has scored 10 points or more 19 times this season and the Spurs have a 11-8 record when he does this. When White scores 15 or more points, the Spurs are 6-3, which is helpful for a playoff push in the stacked Western Conference.

However, it is not just White’s scoring that is having a massive impact on the Spurs this season. In games where he has six or more assists, San Antonio boasts a 5-2 record. On the other side of the ball, when White has two or more steals, the Spurs have an 8-3 record.

These are not empty statistics; when White is playing well, he is having an impact on the team’s success. This is making it easier for the stars of the team to perform in turn, and the Spurs are winning. Thanks to his stellar play, White was given the starting job in the middle of December and he hasn’t looked back since.

With White in the starting lineup since the middle of December, the Spurs have gone 12-7. On the whole season, the Spurs are 16-13 with White starting. He is gaining more confidence with every game and will continue to help the San Antonio Spurs in the starting lineup until Dejounte Murray returns from injury.