Derrick White has never been an All-Star. It's a fact that might not cause many eyebrows to be raised outside of Massachusetts or Texas, but for those who closely monitor White's play, it's well-documented that the Boston Celtics guard is one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
Thankfully, the 2025-26 season should provide White with the perfect platform to finally secure the All-Star Game selection that he's long deserved.
White certainly isn't short on accolades as an NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and two-time All-Defense honoree. What's transpired since joining the Celtics in 2021-22, however, has been a quiet emergence as a star-caliber contributor.
White's numbers may not jump off the page, but he contributes in every single phase of the game—and with Boston losing four vital players in one fell swoop, his volume should soon increase.
The Celtics traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and are widely expected to let Al Horford sign with another franchise without opposition. They also lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury during the 2025 NBA Playoffs that should keep the superstar out for at least the majority of the 2025-26 regular season.
With these developments in mind, the stage has finally been set for White to secure the All-Star recognition that he so thoroughly deserves.
Derrick White has perfect opportunity to become an All-Star in 2025-26
White is the epitome of an all-around player. Over the past two seasons, he's compiled averages of 15.8 points, 5.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 1.0 steal, and 3.1 three-point field goals made on .451/.389/.869 shooting.
For perspective: White is the only player in the NBA to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 assists, 1.0 block, 1.0 steal, and 3.0 three-point field goals made during that time.
Beyond the numbers, there isn't an area of the game in which the Celtics don't rely on White. Whether he's spacing the floor, creating dribble penetration, facilitating for others to score, or coming up with massive clutch performances, his value to Boston's success has been of an All-Star quality.
The primary reasons White hasn't yet received that recognition are the fact that Jaylen Brown and Tatum perennially do, and the depth of the roster has prevented a superior statistical output.
With all of Holiday, Horford, Porzingis, and Tatum either gone or sidelined, however, the dynamic has changed. White is soon to co-star alongside Brown, and if the Celtics manage to overcome their personnel losses and compete for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference, it will be impossible to ignore his case.
Some may end up with higher statistical averages, but defense is the great equalizer that voters should prioritize when debating White's candidacy.
Many have the statistics to warrant interest in their offensive output, but few are as balanced or complete as White. He's capable of locking scorers and playmakers down, making pivotal plays as a help-side defender, and scoring in underrated bunches. He also helped Boston outscore opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court in 2024-25.
If the Celtics continue to win games at a high level in 2025-26 and White is even his usual self, a long-awaited All-Star nod will be in his future.