Derrick White Should Make 2023-24 NBA All-Star Team
The Boston Celtics sit atop the Eastern Conference through the opening one-third of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Boston has arguably the best starting 5 in the league when healthy. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are the superstar duo, with new additions Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Derrick White completes this group and is having the best season of his career thus far, a season so good that White should be an All-Star this year.
White entered this season with a chip on his shoulder. Besides consistently proving doubters wrong ever since arriving in Boston, he was snubbed off of ESPN’s annual “NBARank” of the top 100 players in the NBA and did not reach an extension with the Celtics this past offseason. Although he won’t be a free agent until after next season, Boston may regret it because White has been balling.
Derrick White is averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 25 games this season on an efficient shooting clip. Notably, he remains among the league leaders in blocked shots for guards. In a recent feat, White recorded three blocks for the fourth consecutive game, a feat not achieved by a Celtic since Robert Williams in 2021.
This remarkable uptick in production has garnered White the support of head coach Joe Muzzula and All-Star teammate Jayson Tatum, for his All-Star campaign and further solidifying his impact on the Celtics’ success this season.
“He’s an All-Star, yeah I think so,” Mazzulla said, per video provided by CLNS Media. “(He’s playing with) freedom, confidence, and empowerment from his teammates.”
White has done everything the Celtics have asked of him being the successor to Marcus Smart; he is Celtics basketball right now.
As the All-Star game is still a few months away, Derrick White is undeniably making a compelling case to share the court with some of his fellow Celtics in Indiana. Amidst a star-studded Boston team, White has consistently stood out as one of the team’s premier players on the court more nights than not.
In a team brimming with talent, White’s stellar performances have not only solidified his place among the best but have also made him a standout player deserving of All-Star recognition. This should only be the beginning of the rest of his season. As for right now, he deserves to be celebrated as the All-Star we all know he is.
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