Jayson Tatum and Derrick White have each been nominated for an end-of-season award. Tatum was one of 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, while Derrick White was one of 6 finalists for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award. The league announced both nominations on Tuesday afternoon.
The Teammate of the Year honor recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.
In addition to Tatum, three former Celtics were also nominated: Houston Rockets forward Jeff Green, Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart. Holiday won the award last year in Boston.
Tatum was sidelined for most of this season, but returned from a torn Achilles on March 6th. But he was around the time during the entirety of his recovery, attending nearly every shootaround, practice, game, and film session.
Derrick White nominated for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award
White was nominated for the league’s annual sportsmanship award, which recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. In addition to White, former Celtic center Al Horford was one of six finalists.
Current NBA players will vote on their final selections from both categories. A Celtics player has never won the Sportsmanship Award, while Jrue Holiday became the first Celtic to win Teammate of the Year last season in Boston.
Speaking of awards: Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Tatum averaged 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while leading the Celtics to a 3-0 week. The team posted wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, and Atlanta Hawks.
“It’s a good, small affirmation that he’s continuing to chip away at just getting better and better,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So, it’s a credit to the work that he’s put in, his team, that everybody that’s helped him get back to where he is now and what he’s doing. And so, a good, small affirmation and we can keep getting better.”
