Hornets' Charles Lee Hilariously Dismisses 'Not That Good' Derrick White

Hornets head coach Charles Lee joked about facing his former Celtics assistant coaching colleague Derrick White.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:07am

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In a lighthearted exchange with reporters, Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee downplayed the challenge of preparing for Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, whom Lee coached to an NBA title in 2024 as a Celtics assistant. Lee's deadpan response of 'He's not that good' was in jest, as he knows firsthand how impactful the two-way White can be on the court.

Why it matters

The Hornets' loss to the Celtics was an important game in their push for the playoffs, as they remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Lee's familiarity with White from their time together in Boston adds an interesting subplot to the matchup, even if the Hornets ultimately came up short.

The details

The Hornets fell to the Celtics 114-99 on Sunday night, despite Boston being without both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. Before the game, Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who was an assistant coach for the Celtics' 2024 championship team, joked with reporters about the challenge of preparing for White, saying 'He's not that good' in a deadpan manner. Lee's quip was clearly in jest, as he knows firsthand how impactful the two-way White can be on the court.

  • The Hornets faced the Celtics on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
  • Lee was an assistant coach for the Celtics' 2024 championship team.

The players

Charles Lee

The head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, who previously served as an assistant coach for the 2024 championship-winning Boston Celtics team.

Derrick White

A guard for the Boston Celtics, known for his two-way impact on the game. He was a key member of the Celtics' 2024 championship team, when Lee was an assistant coach.

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What they’re saying

“Not tough at all. He's not that good.”

— Charles Lee, Head Coach, Charlotte Hornets

What’s next

The Hornets will look to bounce back from this loss as they continue their push for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Their next game is on Tuesday, April 1st against the Atlanta Hawks.

The takeaway

This lighthearted exchange between Hornets coach Charles Lee and Celtics guard Derrick White highlights the personal connections that can develop between coaches and players, even when they end up on opposing teams. Despite the Hornets' loss, Lee's familiarity with White's abilities suggests the Hornets will need to find ways to contain the versatile Celtics guard if they hope to make a postseason run.