Derrick White Tops underrated list as Sengün leads overrated in NBA players’ anonymous poll

The Athletic’s 2026 Anonymous NBA Player Poll, conducted Feb–Apr with a record 161 players, names Derrick White as the league’s most underrated and Alperen Şengün as the most overrated (with Rudy Gobert and Trae Young close behind). It also finds Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla as the most impressive current coach (with Mark Daigneault and J.B. Bickerstaff next), notes continued respect for Erik Spoelstra, and shows Victor Wembanyama winning the top defender vote with 41.1% of the tally. The piece also discusses how tanking can impact coaches’ reputations and frames the results as a snapshot from the regular season before coaching moves.