Boston Celtics guard Derrick White has been crucial to the team’s success over the past few seasons. White is having a career season and has a legitimate All-Star case. Discussions around All-Star teams are heating up, especially with the second round of voting being released. In the second round of fan voting, White was left off the top 10 for Eastern Conference guards, in the first return of fan ballots White ranked 10th. Regardless, White is deserving of an All-Star spot. Let’s dive into White’s well-rounded impact and All-Star case.
The Definitive Guide to Derrick White’s All-Star Case
A Winning Player
White’s impact on winning basketball is a key piece of his All-Star case. The Celtics have a 27-10 record, good for the second seed in the East. All-Star teams typically reward winning teams and players. White is averaging 17.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 blocks, and .9 steals with shooting splits of 45.2/39.2/82.2. Notably, White’s 17.1 points per game are a career-high. Furthermore, White ranks eighth for total three-pointers made and his 39.2 three-point percentage is highly impressive considering his 9.1 attempts per game.
White’s elite three-point shooting is central to the Celtics’ offensive identity and success. The Celtics’ offense is primarily built around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown; however, having elite shooters such as White is a key part of Boston’s offense. Without Kristaps Porzingis for a lot of the season, White has been even more important to the Celtics’ offense. His field goal attempts have increased from 11.5 to 13.1, and White’s 9.1 three-point attempts are also an uptick from 6.8 last season. White’s assists numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, but his skill set as a trusted high-IQ playmaker elevates the Celtics’ offense while allowing the Jays to excel as scorers. He posts an impressive 2.58 assist-to-turnover ratio.
White has been particularly valuable to the Celtics in clutch time. He is shooting an incredible 61.5 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from beyond the arc. White has been a consistent option for the Celtics in late games, especially as a three-point shooter. Impressively, White has a 17.6 net rating in clutch time play. Per Dunks & Threes, White ranks in the 92nd percentile for estimated offensive plus-minus and in the 95th percentile for overall EPM. Last year, White had an outside chance at an All-Star spot. However, this season, White’s All-Star case is stronger, considering his increased offensive responsibilities and well-established impact on winning basketball.
Two-Way Impact
While White’s offense has been valuable to the Celtics’ success his defense has been equally crucial. White is one of the most impactful and versatile perimeter defenders in the league. Notably, White leads all guards with 44 total blocks. White has led all guards in blocked shots for the past two seasons and has been named to second-team All-Defense both years. He is one of the best guard rim protectors of all time. White’s versatility allows the Celtics’ to play a variety of defensive schemes. In addition to White’s shot-blocking, the 6-foot-4 guard has a stellar 40.6 defensive field goal percentage. This is the lowest number among all Celtics while defending the third most shots on the team. Moreover, this is an improvement from his 45.3 DFG% last year.
-White has defended fellow All-Star level guards Tyrese Haliburton, Cade Cunningham, Ja Morant, and Damian Lillard at various points of the season. Impressively, White ranks in the 89th percentile estimated defensive plus-minus. Overall, White’s capabilities as an on-ball stopper and versatile off-ball roamer make him one of the league’s best defenders. Most guards, even All-Star-caliber ones, are average to below-average defenders, in this regard, White’s elite defense separates him from many of his peers, and his two-way impact gives him a clear All-Star case.
The Last Word
Looking at other backcourt players in the East, White’s competition for an All-Star selection is steep, with Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell being guaranteed to be All-Stars, there are a maximum of four remaining All-Star spots. White will compete with Cunningham, Lillard, Haliburton, Trae Young, Tyrese Maxey, Zach LaVine, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, LaMelo Ball, and RJ Barrett for these final four spots. Ultimately, White’s two-way impact and team success are enough to secure one of these four spots.
Notably, none of these players compare to White defensively, Garland’s 45.1 DFG% is the closest to White, while LaVine (65th) and Cade (62nd) are the only players above the 50th percentile in defensive EPM. Six of these players (Herro, Ball, Garland, Haliburton, Young, and Barrett) rank below the 20th percentile.
While White isn’t a first option or 20-point-per-game scorer like many of the guards he’s competing with, his impact on both ends of the court is undeniable. In my eyes, an All-Star roster, particularly the reserves, should highlight both number-one options and complementary stars. On both ends of the floor, White has been one of the league’s best complementary stars. Considering coaches vote on the All-Star reserves there’s a solid chance they’ll give White the nod for his team’s success and defensive prowess.
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