Duke’s standout basketball player Dariq Whitehead announced his entry into the 2023 NBA Draft on March 29th, barely a week after Duke’s NCAA Tournament run came to an end. Whitehead, who missed time due to a foot fracture and lower leg injury, is projected to be drafted in the first round.
A promising but underwhelming season
The Blue Devil wing played in 28 games and made seven starts as a freshman for Duke. He averaged 8.3 points while shooting .421 from the field and a team-leading .424 from three-point range. While injuries took their toll during the season, Whitehead still managed to show promise as an athletic 3-point shooter with a career-high of 18 points in a victory against Boston College.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has since projected Whitehead to be selected by the Miami Heat at No. 22 in his latest mock draft. However, Whitehead struggled with consistency during his freshman year, being sidelined by multiple injuries and having some struggles on defense. Duke coach Jon Scheyer praised Whitehead’s resilience despite his challenges, citing his dedication to being a true team player.
Potential for high upside
Despite those challenges, experts such as CBS Sports have ranked Whitehead as the No. 11 prospect in their 2023 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings. With his combination of size, athleticism and shooting touch, Whitehead has the potential to be a high-upside defender in the NBA.
Scouts and executives will undoubtedly want to assess Whitehead further during the predraft process before making any decisions on him. That said, with a clean bill of health and more time to perfect his craft, he has shown that he can do much more at the next level.
Joining teammates Tyrese Proctor
Whitehead will be joining teammate Tyrese Proctor in entering the NBA Draft while Duke awaits decisions from four more players. Coach Scheyer expressed excitement for Whitehead and his family on this next step in his basketball career, even as Duke prepares to remake much of its rotation with young players following the departure of Whitehead and others for the NBA.
While his freshman season was underwhelming, Dariq Whitehead is one of the most talented players headed into the 2023 NBA Draft, known as a big-time shooter with flashes of brilliance in other areas. As he takes on this new challenge, basketball fans can expect to see him continue to develop his game and reach new heights.
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