Asked about his All-Star chances, Derrick White says he's just happy to be with the Celtics

BOSTON -- Derrick White is enjoying the best season of his career, and it's not just Celtics fans recognizing the guard's greatness.

With a star-studded roster with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, it's easy for fans outside of Boston to lose sight of White and his every-night contributions to the Celtics. Sure, other teams have felt the wrath of White, but he's a silent assassin that doesn't seek the spotlight.

The spotlight, however, finds him with his incredible two-way play. Whether it's his stifling defense or timely buckets, White has been a huge contributor to the Celtics, who own the NBA's best record heading into 2024.

He had another all-around night in his old stomping grounds Sunday night, dropping 17 points, five assists, and three rebounds in Boston's 134-101 drubbing of the Spurs in San Antonio. Those are not big numbers by any stretch, but White didn't play the final 12 minutes of the blowout. 

There has been a big push in Boston to get White some All-Star love this season. He's earned a spot in the conversation, averaging career highs in every category at 17 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. He's also shooting a career-best 49.1 percent from the floor and 41.6 percent from 3-point land.

It's a crowded field of stars in the Eastern Conference, so it will be an uphill battle for White. While his numbers are solid, most of what he does for the Celtics doesn't pop up on the stat sheet.

But if there is any fanbase that knows how important those kinds of players are to a team's success, it's the Spurs. And with Boston's do-everything guard glued to the bench in the fourth quarter on Sunday night, the fans in San Antonio -- many of whom were wearing green -- joined the All-Star mob for the former Spur.

"WHITE'S AN ALL-STAR! " fans chanted inside the Frost Bank Center.

White being who he is, he deflected any All-Star talk after Sunday's win. He's much too humble to chat about his own accolades. 

All Derrick White cares about is winning. And if he does make the All-Star squad this year, he believes that will have a lot more to do with Boston's win total than what he's doing on the floor.

"I'm just thankful and grateful. I just try and go out there and help us win," he said with his aww shucks delivery. "I think if I was to make an All-Star Game, it's because of how much we're winning and the type of team we have. I'm just thankful to be part of this team and this organization and the culture we're building here. Me making it or not making it doesn't change the fact that I'm thankful to be here."

Typical Derrick White. He is, simply put, the perfect team player.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich drafted White in 2017 and watched him develop for four seasons before Brad Stevens came and plucked him away from the Spurs. A move that was initially met with some trepidation -- yes, some were actually worried about a future pick swap in the deal -- has turned into an absolute steal for the Celtics. 

"I just couldn't be more proud of a player," Popovich said of White ahead of Sunday's game. "When he first came, I don't think he believed he belonged in the NBA. And to watch him develop through the years here, starting with the G League and playing with us and then starting for us and then taking more steps in Boston has just been a thrill to watch.

"He's one of the greatest guys ever and his confidence has just exploded," added Pop. "It's been a process. He's been in the league six, seven years? I'm not sure anymore, but he's a great story. Starting out at the bottom and believing in himself and doing the work necessary to get where he is now. So, just thrilled for him."

And Boston is thrilled to have him. It's nearly impossible to find anyone saying anything negative about White. He fits his role perfectly and rarely makes mistakes. And in the event the Celtics need him to step up and go into star mode, he's up for that challenge, too.

As impressive as his season has been so far, White was even more incredible in December. Over 14 games, he averaged 20.3 points off 50.8 percent shooting to go with 5.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. The Celtics were 12-2 for the month.

Will that be enough to get White to Indianapolis in February? Chances are, no. There are three other potential All-Stars on Boston's roster in Tatum, Brown, and Porzingis, and a slew of other incredible guards in the Eastern Conference, including Indy's Tyrese Haliburton, Milwaukee's Damian Lillard, Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, and Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell -- just to name a few. 

That shouldn't stop Boston fans and the Celtics from pushing for White. But perhaps, given his defensive prowess, that focus can shift to a Defensive Player of the Year campaign as the season continues. 

Whether he gets any individual recognition or not, it's clear that White is only focused on helping the Celtics win every night.