Celtics’ Derrick White Embraces NBA Finals Chipped Tooth

Everyone has seen the viral photo of the tooth Derrick White chipped in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

White broke one of his front teeth when he smashed into the court after Dallas Mavericks player Dereck Lively II fell onto him. The 29-year-old’s first reaction was to make sure he did not lose any teeth.

The Boston Celtics guard opened up about the chipped tooth on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast.

“I mean at first I thought my whole tooth was gone,” White said. “I’m like, ‘My tooth is gone.’ And they’re like, ‘No, it’s just chipped.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, let’s go.’ And then there was a couple of seconds I was trying to hide it and then I’m like, ‘The moment I open my mouth everybody’s going to see it.” So I just got to embrace it.”

With a Finals win being a big career moment, White did admit that when all the pictures were taken during the celebrations, he wished his tooth was not chipped.

“After everyone was doing pictures, I didn’t smile at one picture,” White said. “I just had my mouth closed the entire time and for that moment I was like, ‘Yeah, I wish my tooth wasn’t chipped right now.”

Despite being embarrassed by the many pictures with his broken front teeth, White did get his teeth fixed in time for the Celtics parade Friday.