Looking Back at What Made Derrick White a First-Team All-Defensive Player

White was the only guard to make the NBA's All-Defensive First Team

Apr 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) reacts to a call on the court during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Derrick White was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team for the third time in his career, making the first team for the first time. He was the only guard to make the team, joining Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons, Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. 

The second team was made up of Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Cason Wallace of the Thunder, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks, and Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks. 

Neemias Queta and Jaylen Brown also received votes. 

Here’s how the voting broke down: 

NBA All Defensive Team voting, first and second team | NBA

NBA All Defensive Team voting, also receiving votes | NBA

White is the 11th member of the Boston Celtics to make the All-Defensive First Team. He finished the season setting career-highs in blocks (98) and steals (88). He led all guards in contested shots, with 552. He joins Reggie Lewis as the only other guard in Celtics history to block at least 75 shots and collect 75 steals. 

White explained what makes him such a good shot-blocker a couple of months ago. 

“I’m a quick jumper,” White said. “I definitely don’t jump the highest on the team, but I think I jump the quickest on the team, so I think that's kind of my biggest advantage.”

He also explained how playing on a nerf hoop as a child helped him hone his shot blocking skills. 

“I do remember playing a lot of little hoop,” White said. “We’d make a rule, no dunking, and I was really good at blocking shots. So maybe just doing that with my dad? Like on the little Nerf hoop on top of the door?”

Since we’re here, why not re-live some of those moments from this past regular season with a little sizzle reel of some of White’s best blocks. 

And for good measure, here’s a look back at some of his best steals as well. 

“[He has] the ability to go out there and just figure out how to make plays no matter what positioning or whoever he's guarding,” Queta said of White’s defense earlier this season. “I feel like he's always got a good chance of getting a stop no matter who he's guarding, or even off the ball too. Like he's really communicative too. So he's a Swiss army knife, and they can do a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor, but defensively, especially, like I feel like he holds his own in pretty much all types of matchups … [he] can disrupt a multitude of actions offensively, and that's what he does.”