Colorado Professional Athletes

The Celtics' Colorado Backbone

Derrick White is doing exactly what Boston needs from him — and doing it quietly, which is kind of his whole brand.

The former Buffalo opened the 2026-27 season as a starter alongside Jayson Tatum and Paul George — the latter arriving via a jaw-dropping trade that sent Jaylen Brown out of Boston. In the Celtics' opener Tuesday against Detroit, White put up 17 points and 8 assists in 35 minutes, a tone-setting performance on a night that was otherwise overshadowed by George's 38-point, 7-of-12-from-three eruption in a 121-113 loss. White was candid afterward about what George's debut meant for the team's ceiling.

He followed that up Friday against the Knicks with 12 points, 6 assists, and a steal in a 107-103 win — not flashy, but exactly the brand of two-way, high-floor play Boston is counting on as it retools around a new-look core.

White's Celtics counterpart — and fellow Buffalo — Payton Pritchard is making noise of a different kind. Despite operating as Boston's sixth man throughout the preseason while Jordan Walsh started alongside White, Pritchard has made his stance clear: he wants a starting role. Whether head coach Joe Mazzulla obliges remains to be seen, but the Celtics' guard depth means the conversation isn't going away. Pritchard brings on-ball creation the second unit craves, but his ambitions clearly extend beyond it.

For Colorado fans, watching two Buffs compete for real estate on one of the NBA's most scrutinized rosters is a genuinely compelling subplot to this season.

The Rest of the Herd

Beyond Boston, several other Colorado alumni are finding their footing — or fighting for minutes — across the league.

Tristan Da Silva is the most productive of the group outside of White. The Magic forward logged 28–29 minutes across both of Orlando's early-week games, posting 14 points, 3 assists, and a block in a loss to Atlanta on Wednesday before adding 5 points in a blowout defeat to Minnesota on Friday. The minus-19 against the Timberwolves stings, but the usage is real — Da Silva is embedded in Orlando's rotation.

Nique Clifford saw action in both Sacramento games this week. He contributed 6 points and 3 assists in 16 minutes against the Clippers on Thursday but barely played (2 minutes) in the Kings' loss to Portland on Saturday, suggesting his role is still unsettled.

Jabari Walker has appeared in all three 76ers games tracked this week, though his usage has been erratic — 12 minutes and 6 points against Milwaukee on Saturday, but just 2 and 4 minutes in the prior two outings. He's on the roster bubble in a Philadelphia rebuild worth watching.

Cody Williams is getting token minutes with Minnesota (3 minutes in each of the Timberwolves' two games this week), but a Sports Illustrated report suggests he may be close to cracking the rotation. Worth monitoring as the season develops.

It's an unusually deep week for Colorado alumni across the NBA — headlined, unambiguously, by what White and Pritchard are building in Boston.

Colorado alumni aren't just in the NBA — they're in the conversation heading into the 2026-27 season. Derrick White, Jabari Walker, and Tristan da Silva each enter the new year with something to prove and, in White's case, a roster spot worth nearly $90 million to justify.

Derrick White: Locked In — and Locked Down — in Boston

White is entrenched in the Celtics' starting five alongside Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson, and he's backing that billing up in the preseason. In Boston's 114-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets, the former Buff dropped 17 points and led the team with 4 steals — part of a defensive effort that forced 29 turnovers. That's vintage White: quiet, relentless, and impactful on both ends.

None of that has silenced outside noise, though. A circulating trade proposal would ship White out of Boston in exchange for a Jrue Holiday reunion, a scenario the Celtics haven't acted on. For now, White remains one of the more valuable two-way guards in the East — and according to reporting from Heavy Sports, he still has over $90 million remaining on his deal, a number that makes him both a franchise cornerstone and a trade chip with real weight.

Jabari Walker: Making the Most of the LeBron Effect in Philly

In Philadelphia, Walker is fighting for meaningful minutes on a 76ers squad dramatically reshaped by LeBron James' arrival. According to The Sporting News, Walker has spoken openly about how LeBron's leadership has transformed the locker room culture ahead of the season — a signal that the Colorado forward is in the room, paying attention, and angling for a role.

The preseason finale against the Celtics was framed as a particularly significant audition for Walker. With a retooled roster and James setting the tone, Walker's ability to contribute versatile, switchable defense at the power forward spot could carve out the kind of rotational role that keeps him on the floor in high-leverage moments. The 76ers' frontcourt situation remains in flux, and Walker is positioned to benefit from it.

Tristan da Silva: Orlando's Under-the-Radar Insurance Policy

Down in Orlando, da Silva has emerged as one of the Magic's most valuable non-stars — precisely because of what happens when he's not on the floor. A Sports Illustrated feature this week identified da Silva as the key reserve the Magic simply cannot afford to lose to injury this season. For a team building around young stars and defensive identity, da Silva's ability to space the floor and defend multiple positions makes him a connective piece that doesn't show up in box scores until he's gone.

It's a quiet but meaningful role — one that reflects how fully da Silva has embedded himself in Orlando's rotation after a measured rookie campaign.

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Three Buffaloes, three different situations, one common thread: each is heading into the season with a defined role and real stakes attached to it. Colorado's NBA pipeline has rarely looked this active all at once.