Romeo Langford’s Boston Celtics career never really got off the ground, primarily due to his inability to stay healthy throughout a season.
As such, Langford found himself packaged alongside Josh Richardson in the Celtics’ deal to acquire Derrick White in February 2022 and has since begun to show flashes of the potential that saw him drafted 14th overall in 2019.
When speaking to the media ahead of the Celtics’ March 25 contest against the San Antonio Spurs, Joe Mazzulla spoke of what he’s seen from Langford this season, crediting his defensive ability.
Mazzulla Discusses Derrick White’s Improvements
During the same press conference, Mazzulla spoke about the continued growth of Derrick White’s game as he approaches 100 appearances for the Celtics and is currently viewed by most fans as the team’s third-best player.
“Yeah, well, I think he’s a great teammate,” Mazzulla said. “I think he just brings a level of humility and competitiveness. And I think he’s gotten more and more comfortable with just playing his game. And so being aggressive off of pick-and-rolls, taking open shots, driving, and I just love what he brings to us defensively as well.”
White has been an ever-present for the Celtics this season, appearing in all 74 of their games while producing at an impressive rate with averages of 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 46.1% shooting from the field and 38.2% shooting from deep.
Jayson Tatum Heaps Praise on Derrick White
Following the Celtics’ March 24 victory over the Indiana Pacers, Jayson Tatum was full of praise for White and what he’s been doing for the Celtics in recent months as he addressed the media as part of his post-game press conference.
“Yeah, you know, D White is like the ultimate teammate,” Tatum said. “And he’s a hell of a basketball player…Can create, can pass, can shoot. And, you know, can be too unselfish sometimes. So just, you know, encouraging him to be aggressive, to be himself, just makes us a much better team.”