Dariq Whitehead 6’6.75” 217 lbs 6’10.25” wingspan 18.9 years old Freshman, Duke 8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, 42.1% fg%, 42.9% 3%, 79.3% ft%

Overview: Dariq Whitehead is a shooting wing with more upside than just being that because he played on the ball in high school as one of the most decorated players to come out in the past few years. Whitehead has battled injuries and is slipping on draft boards accordingly despite having the size and skill set many teams covet. Whitehead at Duke, did not put up huge numbers but his 42% 3 point shooting and flashes of ability to score and shoot off of the dribble have him still regarded highly despite showing a lack of burst. Whitehead could be a steal should he slip into the late first round due to injuries because his shooting, size and high school pedigree typically warrant lottery looks.

Strengths: Strong build with good size for the position. Excellent shooter. 42% from 3. 44% on catch and shoots. Shoots well off one dribble pull ups. HAs shown flashes of creation for others. Intrigue as secondary jumbo facilitator as he played on ball at Montverde. High floor. Can knock down hard shots. Moves without the ball intelligently.

Weaknesses: Heavy Footed Injuries to feet Did not finish well near the rim. Can take too many difficult shots (especially at Montverde) Jumpshot reliant. Defensive concerns due to slower feet.

Tier: Long-Term Starter

Player Comparisons: Bradley Beal, Tyler Herro

Dariq Whitehead is a top-wing prospect in the draft. He’s currently at Duke and made his season debut a bit late due to a broken foot. He should still be a lottery pick in the draft. He’s a great athlete with improved shooting. He’s developing at a rapid rate and his work ethic is great. He’s got a pretty good frame and a big wingspan. He's a great athlete. He's becoming more and more consistent from 3 by the day. He's an elite defensive prospect who looks like he can guard both guards and wings.

• Whitehead is the third youngest prospect eligible for the draft this year as he was born on August 1st, 2004.

• Whitehead suffered a foot fracture in August 2022. He missed the first two weeks of the regular season and then missed more time during ACC play after suffering a lower leg injury.

• Did not participate in NBA pre-draft combine.

Bio: Duke, August 1, 2004 (18), 6’5.75”, 217 lb, Wing

Stats:

Strengths:

• Shooting

• Shot Making

• Highschool tape backs up his potential

Weaknesses:

• Finishing at the rim

• Vertical athleticism (probably hindered due to injury)

• Not super shifty

• Lacks elite first step, which causes him to get stuck in traffic

Rundown:

If you just look at what Dariq did in college (or didn’t do), you might not be super impressed. However, a look at his highschool tape tells a different story. A story of an elite shot maker and creator who could posterize his opponents. Concerns for him were furthered after the announcement that he would undergo a second foot surgery. His physical shape/injury history and athleticism are concerning, but his situation draws parallels to AJ Griffin’s, who found success in the NBA after fully recovering from his injury.

Shades of: AJ Griffin

Dariq Whitehead- Duke (SF) Age:18.9yrs 6’6 190 (Smaller Harrison Barnes)

Whitehead's collegiate career got off to a rough start where he had to miss the start of the season due to a foot injury. He also had a calf injury during the season which caused him to miss more time as well. It is also being reported that Whitehead got a second foot surgery after the season ended due to the first one being unsuccessful. Whitehead did not look like his highschool self being much less explosive than thought to be and settling for perimeter jumpers instead of attacking the basket. The 3 point shot is something he has been improving over the past few years but in order for him to be a promising NBA player he is going to need to get some of that athletic burst back as creating space and finishing around the rim were areas where he struggled some in college. Defensively he is physical enough to be a good on ball defender and long enough to get into some passing lanes but it does feel that way too often he either loses focus on his man or takes a big risk and gets out of position.

(28gs 20.6 mpg)( 8.3ppg 1.0ast 2.4rb 42.1 fg% 42.9 3pt% 3.5 3pa)

Weird release but works for him, hits tough shots and has an array of iso moves that was shown in hs but not much in college. pull up 3 and mid good frame was strong defensively and active with caring about defense did not get to the rim, injury scared ? broke foot in august got surgery and had to get another surgery in January because it did not heal correctly

Highly efficent 3 shooter 43% on 98 attempts Did not get to the line at all but shot 79% Clearly lost a step in collge due to injury/ playing injured, can he get it back? 2 Foot surgeries 2022 5 Star number 2 on 247 number 2 on ESPN

Unfortunately, Dariq Whitehead was my biggest draft board descender, and a lot of that was a result of his recent surgery. He dealt with a foot injury since the preseason, and he just recently got finished with a second foot surgery that will keep him out until his assumed training camp. He was very clearly derailed by the foot injury he dealt with, and it was certainly an issue when he was playing, which hurt his draft stock. In high school, he showed high levels of athleticism and ability to drive, along with his shooting, that made him a top draft prospect entering the college season. His three-point shooting stuck during the games he played, shooting 43% on close to four attempts a game (and half of his total shots coming from downtown and made more 3s than 2s). He favored the corners and the right wing on his three-point jumpers, and while some of them were just defenders not rotating over and leaving him open, I thought he showed promise off the dribble with some difficult step backs. Everything else on the offensive end just felt so strange; he shot only 31% from the mid-range and 53% at the rim, making him a subpar 41% shooter inside the arc. His explosiveness was gone (again, due to his foot) and I also did not like how he had 12 more turnovers than assists (39 to 27) this season. As of right now, until the foot is healed and his confidence in his body and inside the arc game improves, he is just a fantastic shooter on offense. I like his potential on the defensive end. He is 6'7" with a near 6'11" wingspan and a bigger 220 pound frame, and I thought he showed good engagement, hustle and awareness. This was particularly good when he was off of the ball, being a guy that was able to jump passing lanes and being a half a step quicker on rotations, which signaled anticipation through preparation. I think the frame, in particular, and the amount of flashes defensively he showed, gives me intrigue on that side. Any team that selects Dariq Whitehead will need to help him through the mental hurdles first. I think it is really important for a player who has been hurt in plenty of areas because he played injured to build himself back up through the encouragement of his future team. I thought Whitehead showed improvements as a shooter, and whichever team helps him out hurdle over this challenge needs to really buy into him.

• Player Comparison: Shades of Bogdan Bogdanovic and RJ Barrett

• Projected Draft Position: Picks 25-40

• Best Fits: Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs