Unselfish. Unassuming. Competitive Fighter. Resilient. Such words form an apt description of Boston Celtics point guard, Derrick White. He may look like an introverted, kind person on the outside. But inside lies a resilient, self-confident, and extremely competitive athlete who defied all odds in his wonderful journey to become a champion. He is the ultimate locker room guy and is loved by teammates and coaches alike. He always looks out for what’s best for the team and is at the right place at the right time to be best positioned to make the right play. He was one of the crucial missing pieces in a team consisting of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown that eventually lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2024.

But Derrick White wasn’t alone in his journey as his family laid the right foundation for him since his childhood and have been his great supporters at every step of the way. Let’s take a deep look at his family and how they helped him in his basketball journey.

Who Is Derrick White’s Father?

Derrick White was born and raised in the town of Parker, Colorado, and his father is Richard White. He works in the IT department of a digital education company and used to be a high school basketball player. But here’s the most interesting part. Richard White has been a die-hard Celtics fan his whole life! And he reacted the same way every proud father would if their son got traded to his favorite team. 

Recalling his father’s reaction when Derrick broke the news to his family on the View From The Rafters podcast, he said, “I feel like he was the happiest person in the world that day. I think everybody else was – like my mom was worried about Hannah (his wife), worried about [his first unborn child], this and that … So they’re all thinking of all the real-world stuff, and my dad’s over here running around like, ‘You can wear No. 9 again!’”

As expected, Richard was ecstatic about the fact that his baby boy will be suiting up in his favorite team’s colors and will play on the same court as Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce, and the likes. Every basketball fan who is a father always dreams of seeing their son/daughter grace the hallowed grounds of their heroes while cheering at the top of their lungs from the rafters. Not every parent gets to experience that. Richard White did. One could even say he’s one of the few lucky ones.

But it was more than just sheer luck that Richard got to see his boy playing for the Celtics. It was the culmination of decades’ worth of relentless support and unwavering trust in their son’s abilities from both parents. They taught him the right values, and Richard taught his son the fundamentals of basketball and how to always make the right play. It was Derrick’s unselfish nature and supreme self-confidence that enabled him to be the champion he is today.

It was his self-confidence that gave him the courage to make the right play and hit the famous game-winning buzzer-beater against the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Richard White’s reaction sums up the reaction of a proud dad perfectly when he tweeted, “Omg that’s my boy” He must have been teary-eyed after seeing what his boy wonder did on the grand stage. But it was not just his father who shaped him into a world-class player in his childhood.

Who Is Derrick White’s Mother?

Derrick White’s mother, Colleen White, is a legal assistant in an insurance company. She is a white Caucasian, while Richard is of African-American heritage. So Derrick grew up in a mixed ethnic household. His parents supported his love of basketball and never wavered once. Neglected by college scouts, he played college ball at the University of Colorado when Jeff Culver recruited him after being named the head coach.

With his parents’ belief in him and his own self-confidence, Derrick White showed resilience, humility, and the utmost commitment to go from playing Division-II basketball to being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs as the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

At every stage of his career, Derrick had to prove his doubters again and again to make a name for himself in the highest stages of basketball. To be able to have the grit and determination for such a tough but beautiful journey, he had his parents standing by him as his two pillars. And now, Derrick White has his own family that only makes him stronger, determined, and more humble than ever. 

Who Is Hannah Schneider? 

Derrick White met his wife, Hannah Schneider, in college. They started dating in college and tied the knot in 2021. His wife has been by his side as a constant pillar of support throughout his basketball journey. Of course, his love for basketball is endless, but family always comes first, no matter what. His childhood friend, Reece Elliot, shared a heartwarming story a few years ago of seeing that side of him through his own eyes.

Reece was in Boston during Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals and was at TD Garden to watch his friend play in the grandest of stages. The Celtics lost that game and the championship in the process. After such a sad, hurtful end to a great season, instead of wanting his own space, Derrick invited his friend to his house to hang out. Elliot was shocked at the gesture and was later mesmerised by Derrick White’s maturity and level-headedness.

“He just saw the Warriors pick up the trophy in his own [arena]. He comes home, and the first thing he does is he gives Hendrix a kiss, he gives Hannah a kiss, and he asks how they’re doing. He’s asking Holly about how our trip has been. He’s asking about where we went to dinner. This is four hours after Game 6, right?” Elliot shared with Jack Simone of SB Nation, making sure we understood the intensity of the moment for what it was. 

“It just goes to show his priorities. And that’s not to say that basketball isn’t a priority because it’s a big one for him, and he’s competitive. But he’s just always going to be my best buddy from five years old growing up.“

Of course, everyone among his friends and family would’ve totally understood if he wanted to be alone and process his emotions. But that is not Derrick White. He has a clear understanding of what’s more important at what moment in his life, and his friends and family must adore him for this. Which brings us to another important group in his life—his kids. 

How Many Kids Does Hannah and Derrick White Share?

Derrick, in contrast to his competitive self, is a doting father. Their first son, Hendrix James, was born in November 2023, and eighteen months later, their second son, Daxton, arrived in the world to complete the wholesome family. Did you know his first son is named after the legendary guitar virtuoso, Jimi Hendrix? How cool is that!

But his contributions do not simply stop at choosing meaningful and unique names for his children. From potty training to being there for his kids whenever he is not on the road, Derrick White is a hands-on dad. In fact, it was something his friends have found to be “inspirational.” 

Talking about the intricacies of the father-son relationship, Alex Welsh, his close friend and teammate from Colorado University, said, “It’s something that he prides himself on. You can see the way he interacts and the time he spends with his son is super valuable to him. And he and I have chatted a little bit about how he wants Hendrix to recognize him as a basketball player and what that looks like for his career moving forward.”

Furthermore, knowing that there is a little boy watching his father battle it out on one of the biggest stages is “adding to the motivation.” And in typical Derrick White fashion, No. 9 even repped his fatherhood on game days. He showed up to Game 2 of Boston’s series against Atlanta wearing a hoodie with the acronym ‘W.A.S.H.E.D’ across the chest.

“What it stands for is We Are Super Heroes Every Day,” White had explained post-game. “It’s called WASHED Dads. It’s a cool little brand. I’m a dad, so shoutout to them.”

With his own family keeping him humble with their love and his parents’ constant support being his foundation in life, Derrick White is now an NBA Champion and also an Olympic Gold medalist with Team USA. With his resilience and fighting spirit and a strong family behind him, no one in their right mind can have any doubts now about how many more accolades and trophies Derrick White can achieve in his career.