Derrick White makes the case for Celtics Neemias Queta to win Most Improved Player

TL;DR

Derrick White advocates for Celtics center Neemias Queta to win the NBA's Most Improved Player award for the 2025-26 season. White highlights Queta's growth and success despite previous challenges in his career.

With the NBA's 2025-26 regular season in the rear-view mirror and the 2026 playoffs set to start, attention turns to the full-season awards and who ought to win them. And for the league's Most Improved Player award for this season, here is a growing groundswell of support for the body of work put together by Boston Celtics big man Neemias Queta. The Portuguese center might not win the award given who it tends to go to historically, but his teammates believe he ought to win. "I think the award has always gone to high draft picks that finally get the ball and then they got a big scoring jump," said Boston point guard Derrick White on his "White Noise" podcast. "Obviously (Queta), this is your fifth year, right? In like four years where he didn't (have the run), he's just battling trying to learn and grow."

Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36) shoots against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and center Neemias Queta (88) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images "And then now he's put into a position where I think a lot of people thought you were going to fail and now you're succeeding at a high level and one of the best bigs in the league, so I definitely think (Queta) should win most improved," said White. "I'm not really sure who else is out there, but if you look at his whole career and what he's doing for us on both sides of the ball, it's an easy pick." Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire: iTunes: YouTube: *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Derrick White makes the case for Celtics teammate Neemias Queta to win MIP*

Q&A

What are the reasons Derrick White believes Neemias Queta deserves the Most Improved Player award?

Derrick White believes Queta deserves the award due to his significant improvement and success after overcoming challenges in his career, showcasing his skills on both ends of the court.

How long has Neemias Queta been in the NBA before this season?

Neemias Queta is in his fifth year in the NBA, having faced difficulties in previous seasons before achieving success this year.

What historical trends exist regarding the Most Improved Player award in the NBA?

Historically, the Most Improved Player award tends to go to high draft picks who experience a significant scoring increase, which makes Queta's candidacy notable given his different journey.