Derrick White was named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month in February.
Maybe Brad Stevens said it best.
About a month ago, when asked about Derrick White’s uneven shooting, Stevens shrugged off the percentages and cut to the truth.
“Everybody's going to focus on his shooting, but every time he's on the court, we win by a lot,” Stevens said.
Spot the lie.
That’s not coach/front office-speak. That’s math.
White is second in the NBA in total plus/minus at +496, trailing only MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Every other MVP candidate sits behind him. This, mind you, while White is averaging 17 points per game on a relatively modest 39% from the field.
And now, finally, there’s hardware to match the impact.
White was named Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for February - the first time in his nine-year career he’s earned the honor. Victor Wembanyama took home the award in the West, but in the East, it was White setting the tone for a Celtics team that went 9-2 during the month.
The numbers underneath it are even louder.
Boston posted a 105.5 defensive rating in February - best in the NBA. With White on the floor this season, the Celtics’ defense is nearly 12 points better per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning The Glass. The only player in the league with a better on/off defensive differential is Rudy Gobert. White’s defensive impact rates ahead of Wembanyama.
That’s not normal for a 6-foot-4 guard.
In February alone, White averaged 1.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game. He recorded multiple blocks six times in 11 games and contested 75 shots - the most of any guard in the league during the month. He closed February with six straight games recording at least one block and one steal.
Shot-blocking guards aren’t supposed to exist like this. White makes it feel routine.
That versatility has quietly reshaped Boston’s season.
The Celtics’ defensive rating sat 19th in the league in November (116.5). It climbed to 10th in December, hovered around the middle in January, and then surged to the top in February.
White has already made two All-Defensive teams since arriving in Boston, and finished in the top 10 of Defensive Player of the Year voting twice.
This latest award doesn’t redefine him. It validates what’s been true for years.
Even when the shot isn’t falling.
Even when the box score feels quiet.
When Derrick White is on the court, the Celtics win big. Now there’s a trophy to prove it.
Mar 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) defends Philadelphia 76ers forward Trendon Watford (12) during the second half at TD Garden. (Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.