The Boston Celtics' visit to the TD Garden on January 17th held a special significance for Derrick White and his former coach, Gregg Popovich. While an ankle injury sidelined White from the highly anticipated reunion, Popovich couldn't resist a playful jab at his former player.

"He's afraid of us," Popovich quipped to reporters, referencing White's late scratch from the game. "He's not playing tonight. He's sitting it out."

Popovich even went on to claim he had a special game plan prepared to shut White down. "I have stuff for him," he joked. "We are going to destroy him so he sat out."

But beneath the lighthearted banter, Popovich's genuine pride in White's success shone through. Having coached him for the first five years of his career in San Antonio, Popovich witnessed White's journey from an unheralded prospect to a key contributor for the Celtics.

"I'm thrilled for him," Popovich said. "I mean I love the kid. [I] keep in touch with him and he's one of the great examples of working through it. [In the] G League a couple of years, he didn't even think he'd belong in the league."

White's path to the NBA was unconventional. Undrafted out of high school and overlooked by major college programs, he found his opportunity in the G League before catching Popovich's eye. Drafted by the Spurs in 2017, White steadily developed his skills, earning a four-year, $73 million extension in 2020.

His career-high seven 3-pointers against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 cemented his status as a reliable shooter. In February 2022, White was traded to the Celtics, where he has continued to thrive.

While the on-court reunion between White and Popovich didn't materialize, the mutual respect and admiration between the two were evident. Popovich's playful jabs masked his genuine pride in seeing his former player flourish, a testament to the lasting impact coaches can have on their players' careers.