However, White<\/a> was already an excellent player before he was traded to Boston midway through the 2021-22 season.<\/p>\n He recently recalled the playoff game with the San Antonio Spurs<\/a>, where he proved his ability at the NBA level.<\/p>\n In the latest episode of his podcast, Derrick White was asked to recall the game that convinced him he had \u201cmade it\u201d as an NBA player.<\/p>\n White picked Game 3 of the 2019 Western Conference<\/a> first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, where he scored 26 points by halftime and 36 in total.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like this is a tough one because I never really want to think that, but Game 3 of the Nuggets series, where I had 36,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was like, \u2018If I\u2019m doing this in the playoffs against my hometown team, I made it.\u2019 But you have those games, and then in Games 4, 5, 6, and 7, I didn\u2019t play well. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like I didn\u2019t make it. There\u2019s so much room for me to grow and get better. Those are the ups and downs.\u201d<\/p>\n That was White\u2019s career high in the playoffs until he scored 38 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference<\/a> first round last year.<\/p>\n Michael Malone was amazed by Derrick White\u2019s performance<\/p>\n![\"Derrick](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-1144701289-940x627.jpg\")
Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/MediaNews Group\/The Denver Post via Getty ImagesDerrick White knew he \u2018made it\u2019 after playoff game with San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n