Everyone seeks an underdog story these days. What are the parameters for such a tale? What makes a star truly rare? Some questions might never find their answers. However, one story that remains the perpetual reality of the NBA is LeBron James. In the twilight of his career, he has more experience to offer than ever before. And this time, it’s his boys, Bronny and Bryce, who are learning from one of the best, if not the best, basketball players in the world.

On Mind The Game, the Lakers star told Steve Nash that he has a group chat with his sons. What does James Sr. do there? Send them messages to keep them focused. The only mantra to move ahead for the James brothers seems to be to lock in. Now, LeBron shares the last message he sent his boys, and it looks like he wants them to learn a lot from one of the Boston Celtics’ finest finds. Who? You’ll know in time.

“So I have a group chat with me, Bronny, and Bryce. And you know, from time to time, I’ll send just, you know, things that just, you know, focus them back in. So I sent this on June 18th, 2024,” LeBron James shared. “I’ll tell you who this guy is after I read this: unranked in high school, zero D1 scholarship offers, played three years of Division II basketball at UCCS.” By now, Steve Nash knew who the subject of the conversation.

LeBron James continued, “Transferred to Colorado and is now the NBA champion. Hell of a player. One of the best teams in the NBA. That guy is Derrick White.” Nash couldn’t help but chip in, “Hell of a player.” Agreeing to the fact, the Akron Hammer added, “And my message was to them: everybody’s road to success is different, so stay locked in and patient. That was my message to my boys last year.”

Now that the conversation around Derrick White’s rise has been unfurled here, let’s dive in a bit more, shall we?

LeBron James is in awe of Derrick White’s rise from uncertainty with Coach Pop in the mix

Before Derrick White became a crucial cog in the Boston Celtics’ machine, his journey was anything but glamorous. Starting at a Division II college with no Division I offers, he clawed his way to the NBA spotlight. It wasn’t raw talent alone—it was grit, patience, and belief. His turning point? A quiet push from Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, who didn’t just coach him but awakened something deeper: a belief in himself he hadn’t yet earned.

Popovich didn’t throw praise around loosely, but he saw something special brewing in the six-foot-four guard long before the league did. With Pop’s subtle nudges and a G League grind as White’s proving ground, confidence eventually bloomed into dominance. From wide-eyed rookie to an elite two-way threat rubbing shoulders with Giannis and Embiid on advanced stat sheets, Derrick’s rise was less about hype and more about heart. And Popovich? He was the silent architect behind it all.

It’s poetic—LeBron James, the ultimate prodigy, drawing inspiration from Derrick White, the ultimate underdog. As he passes the torch to Bronny and Bryce, he’s not pointing them toward the spotlight but toward the grind. Because greatness, as James knows now more than ever, isn’t always born—it’s built, brick by overlooked brick. And in Derrick White’s journey, the King sees a masterclass his heirs can truly learn from.