When Derrick White was traded to the Celtics ahead of the NBA trade deadline in mid-February, the former San Antonio Spurs guard received an enthusiastic text from another young Boston athlete.
It was sent by none other than Red Sox slugger Bobby Dalbec, White’s former classmate at Legend High School in Parker, Colorado.
“Yeah, that’s my guy. As soon as I got traded he texted me,” White said after the Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden on Sunday. “I’m excited for him to get back out here, too.”
Dalbec remains in Fort Meyers during spring training with the Red Sox.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. Two kids from Legend, brand new high school,” White said. “We were the first two graduating classes. So two kids now in Boston. It’s pretty crazy. I’m super excited for him to get out here. I already have his jersey so I’m going to have to send him a Boston one because I sent the San Antonio (Spurs) one so it’d be perfect.”
White, 27, is one year old than Dalbec, but shared how the two played basketball together before the former went on to play college basketball at the University of Colorado. Dalbec opted to pursue baseball as he played college at the University of Arizona.
“Yeah, Bobby could shoot. He has a nice little jump shot. He was big, good size. His basketball IQ, I think, needed some work,” White said with a smirk. “But Bobby was solid. I don’t know how good he said he was, but he was pretty good for us. He was big off the bench.”
White now is enjoying the second stop on his six-year NBA career after playing five-plus seasons with the Spurs. And White will have some time to enjoy hanging with the Red Sox first baseman given that he is under contract for the next three seasons.
