Player survey pegs Boston Celtics guard Derrick White as most underrated in NBA

TL;DR

Derrick White of the Boston Celtics is recognized as one of the most underrated players in the NBA, tying for first place in a recent player survey. He shares this honor with Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Key points

Derrick White is seen as one of the most underrated players in the NBA.
He tied for first place in a player survey with Jalen Johnson and Jalen Williams.
White's contributions on both ends of the court have been highlighted by peers.

Boston CelticsAtlanta HawksOklahoma City Thunder

Even after his worst season playing for the Boston Celtics, point guard Derrick White is still seen by his peers as one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Per a recent player survey conducted by the Athletic, White tied Atlanta Hawks star forward Jalen Johnson for the most underrated player in the league. "Something that is crystal clear: Players believe the Boston Celtics’ Derrick White still has not received his due respect," writes the Athletic. "He is among the leaders here year in and year out. In 2024, he tied for the win with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams. Last year, he finished second, trailing only the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. And now, he’s won again, (...)." "To me, he’s one of the most important players in the league,," said one unnamed player who voted in the survey. "Just doing it on both ends. I didn’t know how much he had offensively."

Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) returns the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images "Everyone is trying to say is an MVP candidate," another replied. "They're wrong. White has actually been the biggest reason they're so good this season. He does everything — offense, defense, leadership — for them." The margins, however, were not huge with 89 players in total getting a first-place vote out of 151 cast. But as far as the results go with the Colorado native, it also seems his teammates are seen in a similar light. Both Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown and former Sixth Man of the Year also cracked the survey's top six vote-getters "Their upper-tier finishes have something to do with the Celtics overcoming ’s absence for most of the season to defy expectations and finish with a 56-26 regular-season record," notes the Athletic. Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire: iTunes: YouTube: *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: *

Q&A

Why is Derrick White considered underrated in the NBA?

Derrick White is seen as underrated due to his significant contributions on both offense and defense, which have not received adequate recognition from fans and analysts.

Who else was recognized as underrated alongside Derrick White?

In the survey, Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder were also recognized as the most underrated players in the league.

What impact did Derrick White have on the Celtics' season?

Derrick White played a crucial role in the Celtics' success, helping the team achieve a 56-26 regular-season record despite Jayson Tatum's absence for much of the season.