Watch: Derrick White hilariously avoids potential Victor Wembanyama poster dunk
White initially attempted the chase-down block but thought better of it at the last second.
Derrick White is never shy to try and get a chase-down block on his opponents during the fast break. That is, unless the person running down the floor is 7-foot-4 forward Victor Wembanyama.
The Celtics guard sprinted down the court initially going for his tried and true transition block. But, just as Wembanyama’s feet left the floor, White thought better of his decision and just ran underneath the rim instead.
It was a smart move considering Wembanyama is a full foot taller than White.
“I’m not an idiot,” White said of the play postgame. “I was hoping he’d take another dribble, and I could try to do that, but he just picked it up and I never saw it again. So, I was just trying to get out the way.”
It’s also possible White saw what happened to Luke Kornet earlier in the game and opted not to suffer the same fate. Kornet attempted to tip away a lob to Wembanyama but ended up caught in a reverse jam off the alley-oop.
Despite missing out on that block — and failing to record a block altogether after a lengthy streak — White still had an effective night against his former team. He shot 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 6 from long range, good for 17 points. He also added five assists and a pair of boards in the Celtics’ road win.
In his own right, Wembanyama finished with 21 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. He added seven rebounds, three assists, and a block.
The Wembanyama-led Spurs ooze potential for the future, but the Celtics are presently the NBA’s best team, and that was on display in the 134-101 win on Sunday night.
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