“It’s Déjà vu all over again,” Frank White said with a smile after the Class 3A championship medal ceremony at the girls’ state basketball tournament, which was held at Williams Arena in March.
White, a historian, author, curator and former high school basketball official, had just presented the championship medals to a talented and deserving DeLaSalle team.
One of the medal recipients was his granddaughter, Savannah White, a freshman guard with unlimited potential. She provided the spark off the bench during the Islander’s championship run.
“I couldn’t be prouder,” Frank White said, beaming. “I’m experiencing this all over again.”
Experience what again you ask? Check this out!
In 2006, Savannah White’s older brother Royce White was a 6’8” freshman guard playing off the bench, which his sister would emulate, while leading the DeLaSalle boys’ basketball squad to the Class3A title.
How cool is that?
Royce White — who later won a championship as a senior in 2009 after transferring to Hopkins — went on to a career at Iowa State University, becoming a first-round draft choice by the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2012, an all-star in the National Basketball League of Canada, and most recently the number-one pick in the 2019 BIG3 Draft by the expansion Enemies.
Meanwhile, Savannah White will be one of the up-and-coming girls’ basketball prospects as a sophomore this upcoming season.
In the midst of all of this, Frank White, who wrote the acclaimed book They Played for the Love of the Game and currently serves on the Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors, is simply a proud grandfather.
This was evident when it came time to present the championship medal to his granddaughter.
“I didn’t know if I should shake her hand or hug her,” Frank White said shortly after the ceremony.
When the time came, he embraced her as any proud grandfather would do.
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