NBA coach crowns Derrick White as a ‘top-five player’ in NBA

When it comes to charting the continued success the Celtics have had on the court over the past few seasons, most of the praise tends to go toward Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

But Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was quick to salute another key component of Boston’s lineup before the Celtics’ eventual 109-98 win on Sunday afternoon.

“Derek White, he’s one of the top five players in this league,” Atkinson said. Per MassLive’s Bran Robb. “I know no one says that in the standard media, but analytically, when you look at all the advanced stuff, it is [a] top 5 players in the league, [a] star.

“Jaelyn.” [Brown] Obviously having a great year. [Neemias] Analytically, Quetta is one of the top 30 cities [players]likely. They have a lot of talent even without Jason. So I think if you looked at, oh my God, Jayson Tatum was out, it would be terrible, and I was never convinced by that.

​White’s stats may not jump off the page like Brown or Tatum (when healthy). But the 31-year-old impacts games in a number of ways.

Although White’s shooting has been down this season (39.4 field goal percentage), he is still averaging 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in his fifth season with Boston.

With Tatum missing the first 61 games of the 2025-26 season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, White has elevated his game this season as Boston’s secondary scoring option behind Brown.

Now that Tatum is back in the fold and cleared to play for the final stretch of the season, White can settle back into his usual role as Boston’s Swiss Army Knife.

In addition to his knack for stuffing the stat sheet, White’s ability to guard multiple positions and attempt shots in the paint makes him Joe Mazzola’s preferred defensive guard this season.

White had a quiet game Sunday against Cleveland, scoring just six points on 2-for-9 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. But with Brown and Tatum combining for 43 points, the Celtics don’t need White to do much to positively impact this roster.

“They’re really good. I mean, it’s a tough game for everyone,” Atkinson said Sunday. “They’ve got championship pedigree, right? This is another level. This is an elite team, an elite team, one of the league’s elite. We have a lot to prove that’s part of it, getting over the hump. They’re really good, and now they’ve got Tatum back.”

Connor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.