Derrick White'S Diy Dental Drama: A Finals Fix To Remember

From NBA Star to Emergency Dentist

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White found himself in an unexpected role during the 2024 NBA Finals. In a twist fit for a sports drama, White had to perform impromptu dental surgery on himself after a toothy mishap during the Celtics' decisive victory over the Dallas Mavericks. As he shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, White, 31, made headlines not just for his on-court prowess but for his off-court ingenuity.

White chipped a tooth during the game, and with a quick assist from the Boston staff, he managed to glue it back in place, allowing him to play on. "I go to the game, I get hit in the mouth. I had a bridge on at the time and it came out, so I just picked it up and went straight to the back," he recounted. "I’m not a hockey player, so I had to figure out a way to glue it back together." White's resourcefulness under pressure turned an awkward situation into a memorable sports moment.

Aftermath and Dentist Visits

Post-game, White finally made time for a professional fix after some playful ribbing from his dentist, who had advised against delaying his visit. "He said, ‘I told you to come a week ago,’” White laughed. His eventual trip to Boston Dental was documented on social media, where he thanked the team for their clutch performance, spending several hours to get a temporary fix.

Reflecting on the experience, White noted, "I spent, like, two hours [there],” he told NBC Sports Boston. “Then, I had to go back for, like, an hour. Now, we’ve got a little temporary fix for tonight. Shout-out to Boston Dental, y’all clutch." In a lighthearted reference to his dental drama, White has become a talking point off the court, adding a personal touch to his championship journey.

Parallels in Pursuit of Victory

Derrick White isn't the only athlete who faced dental drama in the heat of competition. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, hockey star Jack Hughes took a stick to the mouth during a gold medal game against Canada, resulting in his own dental debacle. The game, which ended in a 2-1 sudden-death victory for Team USA, saw Hughes scoring the decisive goal despite his injury.

“Yeah, the amount of dentists that have reached out, man, it’s too many,” Hughes told the Daily Mail earlier this month. “But I’m going to get them fixed, hopefully this week.”

Both White and Hughes have shared their dental adventures with Fallon, turning these unexpected moments into part of their respective sports legacies. With White’s Finals story and Hughes's Olympic highlight, sports fans have new tales of grit and resilience to celebrate.