Whether it is just for a day, or a childhood dream comes true and the Denver Nuggets draft him, Colorado native Derrick White will get to don the baby blue and gold. The Legend (Parker, Colo.) High School product, who went on to success at the Divisions II level for University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and then in the Pac-12 for the Colorado Buffaloes, will be decked out in Nuggets gear on Monday in a pre-draft workout alongside five other prospects.
Players scheduled to participate* are as follows:
Monday, June 19th
Jaron Blossomgame – F, 6-7, 220 – Clemson
Damyean Dotson – G, 6-5, 210 – Houston
PJ Dozier – G, 6-6, 205 – South Carolina
Andrew White III – G, 6-7, 210 – Syracuse
Derrick White – G, 6-5, 193 – Colorado
Matt Williams – G, 6-5, 220 – Central Florida
*Players subject to change
In his lone season with the Buffs, Derrick White led Colorado with 18.1 points, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line. He was named to the Pac-12’s 2017 All-Conference First Team, All-Defensive Team and All-Tournament Team. White finished the season with 615 points, ranking seventh at Colorado in a single season, and second best by a transfer. His 49 blocks are the most by a guard in a season in team history. White was named the Chauncey Billups Award winner as the team’s MVP and earned co-Male Athlete of the Year honor’s at CU’s annual CUSPY Awards. He finished his four-year collegiate career with 2,527 points (20.9 ppg).
Blossomgame finished his career in the top 10 in Clemson history in starts (125), minutes (3,924), 20-point games (32), double-figure games (87), field goals (627) and free throws (383). He received the program’s Paul Bowie Most Valuable Player honor in 2015-16 and amassed 1,733 points over his career, fifth-most in Clemson history.
Dotson was the only Cougar to start all 32 games and started all 64 games during his Houston career. He ranked among the nation’s top-10 leaders in 3-point field goal percentage (44.3, 10th) and 3-point field goals made per game (3.38, 8th). One of only two players to rank among the American Athletic Conference’s top-10 leaders in both scoring and rebounding, Dotson ended his career having made at least one 3-pointer in a school-record 32 straight games.
Dozier was second on the Gamecocks this season with 13.9 points per game and 2.8 assists, while pulling down 4.8 rebounds and collecting 1.7 steals. He played some of his best basketball of the season during the NCAA Tournament, posting 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in helping the Gamecocks clinch their first berth in the Final Four. Dozier posted nine 20-point performances, including a career-high 26 versus Clemson, and he hit 40.7 percent from the field.
Andrew White III scored in double digits in 31-of-34 games as a graduate player in 2016-17. He set a Syracuse season record with 109 3-pointers and had at least one 3-pointer in 32 outings. He led the team in scoring (18.5) and minutes-played (37.2) averages.
Williams, a redshirt senior, scored in double figures in 31 of 36 games this year. The sharpshooter made the second-most 3-pointers in the nation with 126 on the season. His 126 threes on the year are the most in a season in AAC and UCF history. Williams led the league and ranked fifth in the nation with 3.5 3-pointers per game.
The 2017 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Nuggets currently hold the 13th, 49th and 51st selections.