Despite holding the NBA’s third-best record at the All-Star break, the Boston Celtics will only send one player to Indianapolis this year: Jaylen Brown. And while Brown’s All-Star nod is well-earned - he’s been playing like a man on a mission - the absence of a few key teammates from the roster has raised eyebrows, especially when you look at what’s propelled Boston to the top tier of the league standings.
Let’s talk about Derrick White.
White has been the Celtics’ unsung hero all season - the kind of player whose value can’t be fully captured by a stat sheet. And yet, when the All-Star reserves were announced, his name wasn’t on the list. Again.
Now in his ninth NBA season, White is 31 years old and still waiting on his first All-Star selection. He addressed the snub on his own podcast, White Noise, and his reaction was exactly what you’d expect from a guy who’s all about team-first basketball.
“I feel fine. I didn’t really expect to make it,” White said.
“Obviously, there’s been a lot of great players who made it, first-timers. So no knock on them, because they definitely deserve it.
It’s a great accomplishment for everybody who made it, and I’m gonna enjoy my All-Star Break. But yeah, it is what it is.”
That’s classic Derrick White - humble, grounded, and focused on the bigger picture. But he also dropped a line that perfectly sums up his game: “I don’t have All-Star numbers, just All-Star impact.”
And he’s not wrong.
While White’s raw numbers might not leap off the page - and a shooting slump over the last couple of months hasn’t helped - his impact on winning is undeniable. Over his last 26 games, he’s shot just 37.4% from the field and 29% from beyond the arc, marking the worst shooting stretch of his career. His true shooting percentage and effective field goal percentage are both at career lows.
But here’s where the numbers start to tell a different story: White currently boasts the best estimated plus-minus of his career at 4.7, which ranks 11th in the entire NBA. That’s not just good - that’s elite territory, reserved for players who consistently elevate the five-man unit they’re a part of.
White’s defensive instincts, perimeter versatility, and ability to make the right play at the right time have been crucial for a Celtics team that’s spent much of the season without Jayson Tatum. Whether it’s chasing shooters off the three-point line, rotating on a dime, or making the extra pass, White does the little things that win games - and he does them every night.
And let’s not forget the Celtics’ record. This team isn’t sitting near the top of the standings by accident.
It’s the result of a deep, connected roster - and White has been the glue guy holding it all together. He’s not just filling in for Tatum; he’s helping drive the ship.
So while he might not have a plane ticket to the All-Star Game this year, make no mistake: Derrick White is playing All-Star-level basketball. He’s just doing it in a way that doesn’t always make the highlight reel - but absolutely shows up in the win column.