Boston Celtics guard Derrick White took dental matters into his own hands during the 2024 NBA Finals, as he shared with Jimmy Fallon.
The 31-year-old White experienced a memorable moment in the Celtics’ decisive victory against the Dallas Mavericks when he chipped a tooth. Supported by the Boston staff, he managed to reattach the tooth using glue and returned to the game.
Recalling the incident on the March 18 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, White said, “I got hit in the mouth during the game. I had a bridge on, and when it came out, I just picked it up and headed straight to the back. I’m not a hockey player, so I had to figure out how to glue it back together.”
He added, “They glued it for me, and I put a mouthpiece on it, finished the game, and went to the dentist the next day.”
White admitted he had been avoiding a dental visit for too long, and when Fallon, 51, inquired about his doctor’s reaction, White chuckled.
“He said, ‘I told you to come a week ago,’” White recalled.
After the Celtics’ championship celebrations wound down, White finally went to the dentist, documenting the experience with Boston Dental on social media.
“I spent about two hours [there],” he told NBC Sports Boston. “Then, I had to return for another hour. We’ve got a temporary fix for tonight. Shout-out to Boston Dental, y’all clutch.”
White’s dental mishap wasn’t the only notable one. Team USA’s Jack Hughes joined him in losing a tooth while chasing a championship at the 2026 Winter Olympics, taking a stick to the mouth during the gold medal game’s third period.
Hughes, 24, scored the decisive goal in overtime, and his altered smile became an iconic image of the games.
“I’ve had so many dentists reach out, it’s overwhelming,” Hughes told the Daily Mail earlier this month. “But I’m planning to get them fixed, hopefully this week.”
“I think people will be upset if I do get them fixed,” Hughes added.
Like White, Hughes recounted the incident on Fallon’s show.
“I remember [my brother] Quinn being the closest to me, and during the TV timeout, he said, ‘It’s not that bad, it’s only chipped,’” Hughes shared.
