Legend boys basketball alum Derrick White taken in first round of NBA draft
Former Legend basketball standout Derrick White is headed to the NBA.
White was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 29th pick in the first round of Thursday’s NBA Draft, completing one of the more interesting basketball journeys in Colorado history.
He is the first former Colorado high school basketball player drafted since Palmer alum Reggie Jackson was taken in the 2011 draft, and 14th ever drafted in the first round.
His first-round selection means that a Colorado high school product was taken in the first round of the NBA, MLB (Regis Jesuit’s David Peterson) and NFL (Valor Christian’s Christian McCaffrey) drafts in 2017. That is the first time that has ever happened.
White ended his collegiate basketball career with the University of Colorado, playing just one season for the Buffs. His first three seasons came at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs where he helped the Mountain Lions to Division II NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015.
He put up staggering numbers in his three years in Colorado Springs. He averaged over 22 points per game while shooting better than 48 percent from the field.
After the 2014-15 season, White decided to transfer to the CU’s Boulder campus where basketball coach Tad Boyle welcomed him with open arms.
He was forced to sit out the 2015-16 season because of NCAA transfer rules, but once he took the court in the fall of 2016, he gave CU fans plenty to cheer for.
White ended his one season with the Buffs averaging 18.1 one points per game. He also led the team in 3-point shots made (57), 3-point shooting percentage (39.6), assists (148), blocks (49) and steals (42).
He had quite the senior season at CU considering he didn’t get a single Division I scholarship offer out of high school. Throughout his time at UCCS, he was always told that he was nothing more than a D-II player. And not even one good enough to get a full scholarship offer.
He took a partial to play at UCCS and let his play on the court do his talking for him. He began his post-high school basketball career playing in front of hundreds on the campus at UCCS.
He was able to close it out playing in front of more than 8,000 at the Coors Events Center.
At Legend, he averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game as a 6-foot, 150-pound senior in 2012.
Five years made a big difference: White measured out at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds at the NBA combine
After Thursday’s selection, he’ll now have the chance to play in front of tens of thousands of basketball fans.
He didn’t there by coming out of high school with a ton of hype and bolting for the NBA after his freshman year of college.
He worked for it. And he earned it.
