Derrick White was named to the NBA’s 2025-26 All-Defensive First Team, earning the first Defensive First Team honor of his career after a standout season for the Boston Celtics that included career highs in blocks and steals.
The Boston Celtics’ 2025-26 season ended in a hurry—an abrupt first-round exit at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month. But before the playoff disappointment, there was a regular season that looked like an argument for why Boston belonged near the top of the league.
Finishing second in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. the Celtics did it largely without Jayson Tatum. after many had predicted a “bridge year.” In the middle of all that expectation and uncertainty. Derrick White quietly became a defensive centerpiece—and on Friday. the NBA handed him a reward: his first-career NBA All-Defensive First Team nod.
White was one of two players in the league with 80 or more blocks and steals each in 2025-26. He received 58 votes for the honor, and the 6-foot-4 guard produced the kind of numbers that make impact measurable. He recorded a career-high 98 blocks and 88 steals. In franchise history. he became the fourth Celtic to reach both 98 blocks and 88 steals. and the first to post 75-plus blocks and 75-plus steals since Kevin Garnett.
His defense wasn’t just about volume—it showed up in the flow of games. White led all guards with 552 contested shots and averaged 1.3 blocks per game. He recorded at least one steal and one block in 37 of his 77 total games, a mark that also led all guards.
Boston’s defensive performance sharpened with him on the floor. The Celtics were 7.4 points per 100 possessions better with White in the game, reflecting the role he carved out after being traded to Boston in 2022. White is now the 11th Celtic ever to be named to an All-Defensive First Team.
He’s earned it through sustained recognition, too. White was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Offensively, his season came with a mixed look. He recorded career bests in points per game (16.5) and assists (5.4), along with 4.4 rebounds per game. But the postseason told a different story: White shot 32.1 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs.
After Game 3 against the 76ers, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was asked about White’s shooting slump. Mazzulla backed his guard in blunt terms. saying on April 25 (via MassLive). “Anybody that ever doubts D-White. they don’t really care about winning. ” adding. “There’s a competitive confidence there. There’s a character piece there. He is not defined just by shot-making. He did a tremendous job. Those two rebounds were big-time rebounds, and he can impact winning in so many different ways. So I’m always going to double down on his competitive character, who he is.”.
The recognition didn’t stop with White. Celtics center Neemias Queta and forward/G Jaylen Brown received eight and seven All-Defensive votes, respectively.
For Boston, the timing of the award sits with an odd kind of weight: the playoffs ended earlier than anyone wanted, but the defensive identity White helped build in the regular season is now official—one season’s worth of effort, turned into a first-team honor.
Derrick White Boston Celtics NBA All-Defensive First Team 2025-26 season blocks steals Joe Mazzulla Neemias Queta Jaylen Brown Philadelphia 76ers
Defense first team and still couldn’t win in the playoffs, lol.
Wait is this the Celtics guy who got traded? I feel like Tatum wasn’t there so how did they even make playoffs. Also 98 blocks 88 steals sounds fake, like Madden stats.
All-Defense First Team but they lost to Philly in round one so what’s the point. Like defense is supposed to stop points, right? I saw someone say White is basically guarding the whole court and then the Sixers still cooked them. 552 contested shots though… either way that’s wild.
Seems like a “bridge year” thing went right for once. I don’t even know why people act like Tatum being out automatically ruins everything, like it’s not his fault they had injuries or whatever. But 80 blocks and steals each?? I’m confused bc it says 80 or more and also gives exact numbers, so was it like both categories together? Anyway congrats to Derrick White, I guess.