It may be surprising to think of anyone on the reigning champion Boston Celtics as underrated, but a recent poll of NBA players suggests otherwise. In a survey conducted by ‘The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Josh Robbins, one of the Celtics’ core players, Derrick White, earned notable recognition as one of the league’s most underappreciated contributors.
Out of 136 anonymous players who voted in this category (from a total pool of 158), 75 different players received at least one vote. Among the top four were All-Star Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, who led the category with 8.8% of the votes, followed by White with 7.4%. Clippers guard Norman Powell and Lakers’ Austin Reaves also made the top tier with 4.4% and 3.7% of the votes, respectively.
Incredible work by our entire staff on this year’s anonymous player poll.
More than one third of the NBA – 158 players 👀- weighed in on MVP, ‘Face of the league,’ overrated/underrated, coaching, officiating and other league issues, at @TheAthletic https://t.co/HABCALiV0F
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 22, 2025
This isn’t White’s first time on the list he tied with Jalen Williams last year as the top “most underrated” player. Despite playing a pivotal role in the Celtics’ 61-21 regular season, and their recent playoff success, White continues to fly under the radar. With consistent two-way play and availability especially when compared to injury-prone teammate Kristaps Porzingis White has made a strong case for All-Star consideration in recent seasons.
The Athletic noted that White’s resume now includes an NBA title and Olympic gold with Team USA, making him perhaps slightly ‘less’ underrated than before. Still, his production speaks volumes. In Boston’s Game 1 playoff win over Orlando, he dropped 30 points on efficient shooting and contributed across the board.
Last postseason, White averaged 16.7 points with elite efficiency and contributed on both ends of the floor. If he maintains this level of performance, there’s little doubt he’ll remain a staple on next year’s “most underrated” lists even if he arguably shouldn’t be anymore.
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