Celtics guard's latest honor shouldn't be his only one this season

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White has won the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award, the league announced on Thursday.

The league has recognized one player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court each season since 1996. This unlike most other awards, is voted on by the players themselves.

White, renowned for his humble personality, became the second Celtics player to earn the recognition, joining Jrue Holiday, who took the prize home last season.

There’s clearly a nice-guy dynasty brewing in Boston.

White was named amongst six finalists, one from each division, at the beginning of the month. He joined former Celtics big man Al Horford, Shai Gilegous-Alexander, T.J. McConnell, Harrison Barnes, and Bam Adebayo on the short list.

The Sportsmanship Award shouldn't be Derrick White's only recognition this year

There is plenty of hope in the Northeast that this won’t be the only time the two-time All-Defensive guard is honored this spring. White could very well be named to one of the league’s All-Defensive teams once again.

When the Defensive Player of the Year voting results were released on Monday, it became clear that he has the respect of voters around the league. White finished in sixth place and received two second-place and seven third-place votes.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, though. White just put together another impressive defensive season, while taking over the “defensive quarterback” responsibilities after Holiday was traded last summer.

He averaged 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game this season, marking the second time in his career he’s averaged over one of each for an entire campaign. The 31-year-old’s shot-blocking ability is unique for a guard. He is often mentioned as the best rim protecting guard of all time along with Dwyane Wade and Michael Jordan.

White joined Wade and Jordan as the only guards to have 50 or more games with three or more blocks earlier this season. Another highlight for the former Colorado standout came on New Year’s Eve, when he set a career-high for blocks in a single game with seven.

That performance also tied the all-time record for rejections by a guard in a single game.

“The evolution of his defense has been great,” head coach Joe Mazzulla praised after White logged his 500th career-block back in January. “He takes pride in just learning the game and learning defense.”

The league is expected to announce the official All-Defensive teams in the coming weeks.

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