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Derrick White Wins 2025–26 NBA Sportsmanship Award

A weighted player ballot gave him the edge on total points despite T.J. McConnell leading in first-place votes.

Overview

  • The NBA said Thursday that Boston guard Derrick White won the Joe Dumars Trophy, an honor for on-court sportsmanship chosen by fellow players.
  • In a close race, White finished with 2,827 points to T.J. McConnell’s 2,566 after collecting the most second-place votes, even as McConnell led first-place votes 83–77.
  • The selection process had each team nominate one player, a panel of league executives choose six division finalists, then current players rank those finalists on weighted ballots.
  • Boston now has winners in consecutive seasons, following Jrue Holiday’s selection last year.
  • The news landed during the Celtics’ first-round series with the 76ers, and White said he must play better after an eight-point Game 2 ahead of Friday’s Game 3 in Philadelphia.