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2017 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Who is Derrick White?

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 8, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Derrick White (21) shoots against the defense of Washington State Cougars guard Malachi Flynn (22) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Colorado won the game 73-63. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Derrick White (21) shoots against the defense of Washington State Cougars guard Malachi Flynn (22) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Colorado won the game 73-63. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Final Word

Derrick White is probably the top senior in this Draft.

“Senior” is something of a dirty word in the NBA Draft. For him to get consideration as a first round pick or early second round pick he has to be pretty good.

White’s numbers speak for themselves. He was an efficient scorer carrying a heavy scoring load for Colorado. That suggests he can fill a role in the NBA, especially because he was a solid 3-point shooter and can create some for himself.

It looks like White has a lot of those skills and traits to make it to the league.

But there are concerns — beyond his age, which might be a silly restriction to put on him.

White is not a standout athlete. He does not pop off the court. His jumper can be so reliable at times, that he settles for it. He can break down players off the dribble to create space for his jumper, but is not a great attacker to the rim. White was able to do it at Colorado, but it does not look like that is something he would successfully do at the NBA level.

Without top-end speed or athleticism, there are serious doubts of whether White can attack the basket well. There might even be some questions about his ability to defend despite his solid length as a point guard.

White should have some positional versatility. At 6-foot-4 and with good length in addition to his shot, he should be able to play off the ball some. That will be valuable as teams try to figure out how to use him next year. It should make White a pretty safe bet to make a NBA roster and stick.

If his shooting translates, White has the experience and smarts to be a valuable role player. Even if he is not playing point guard.

White is still growing into his body — he was lightly recruited because of his lack of size and he had a growth spurt right before college — and so there is still some room to grow. But White is a fairly formed player who can successfully shoot the ball and create his own shot.

Next: 2017 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Who is Frank Ntilikina?

That has value in the league today.