Jaylen Brown is heading to the All-Star Game-and he’s not going alone if he has anything to say about it.
Fresh off being named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, Brown is now campaigning for his Celtics teammate Derrick White to join him when the reserves are announced on Feb. 1. And after Boston’s 119-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, Brown didn’t hold back in making the case.
“D-White has been a two-way player all year,” Brown said postgame. “I know we live in an era where that doesn't get as much praise or respect, but that contributes to winning a lot.”
He’s not wrong. In a league where offensive highlights dominate the conversation, White’s quiet excellence on both ends of the floor often flies under the radar. But Brown, who sees it up close every night, made a strong pitch: “I think Derrick White has been playing at an All-Star level because he plays both sides of the ball.”
That’s not just teammate talk-it’s backed up by the numbers and the eye test. White has taken on a heavier load this season, especially with Jayson Tatum sidelined and the roster reshaped by the departures of Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday. He’s responded by stepping into a bigger role without skipping a beat.
Now in his ninth NBA season, White is averaging 17.6 points per game-his highest mark yet. His shooting percentages have dipped a bit (39.1% from the field, 32.3% from deep), but that’s not surprising given he’s taking three more shots per game than last season. The increased volume is a sign of his expanded role, not a drop in efficiency.
And then there’s the defense. White has built a reputation as one of the league’s premier perimeter stoppers.
He’s earned Second-Team All-Defense honors in two of the last three years and finished in the top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting twice over that same span. Brown went even further, calling him a “first-team All-Defense type of ballot, or maybe even Defensive Player of the Year.”
That kind of praise carries weight-especially coming from a fellow All-Star.
White’s résumé goes beyond the regular season, too. He was a key piece in Boston’s 2023-24 championship run, helping the Celtics take down the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals.
He followed that up with a gold medal performance for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Winning seems to follow him wherever he goes.
Boston, meanwhile, continues to find its footing amid injuries and roster changes. At 27-16, the Celtics sit in second place in the Eastern Conference, 5.5 games behind the first-place Pistons.
They’re 1.5 games ahead of the Knicks and Raptors, who are tied for third. And with the possibility of Tatum returning later this season, Boston’s ceiling is still sky-high.
The Celtics are once again in the thick of the East race-and Derrick White is a big reason why.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game tips off Feb. 15 in Inglewood, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers. Jaylen Brown will be there. If there’s any justice, Derrick White will be too.