Familiar Face Named Boston Celtics Player With Most to Prove Next Season

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 25: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently named the one player on every team in the league with the most to prove next season, and White was the pick for Boston. Hughes pointed to White’s shooting slump last season and an increased role in the aftermath of Jaylen Brown’s departure as reasons why White was the pick.

“Plenty of players that signed extensions—Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., Neemias Queta—will be out to show they’re worth the raises that’ll kick in down the line, and Boston Celtics centerpiece Jayson Tatum must also verify he’s all the way past his torn Achilles,” Hughes wrote.

“But Derrick White occupies a fascinating spot for a couple of reasons. First and most obviously, he has to prove last year’s three-point swoon was a fluke. He shot at least 38.1 percent from deep in each of the previous three seasons but fell all the way to 32.7 percent last year and 27.3 percent in the playoffs, becoming a genuine liability on offense . . . Secondly, White is and always has been an analytics darling. For a Celtics team that just dealt away Jaylen Brown partly because the same numbers that love White are far less fond of Brown, White needs to play well enough to validate the stats for the skeptics.”

There will be added pressure on White following the departure of Brown, and it will be up to him to prove that he’s up to the task.

Paul George Will Enter Season With Plenty to Prove, Too

GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 08: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

While White was Hughes’ pick, and he’s entitled to it, it seems like Paul George would have been a fair selection, too. After being the centerpiece of the return for the Brown trade, George will have to prove that he can still contribute to a contender at a high level. He’ll also have to prove that he can stay out on the court for the Celtics. George played in less than 42 games during each of the past two seasons for the 76ers.