With the 2023 NBA draft coming to a close, there was a lot of speculation regarding what
the Brooklyn Nets would do with their two 1st-round picks. Many fans expected there to be a trade of some sort; however, the Nets ultimately decided to draft with their late 1st-round picks, one of whom was Duke Forward Dariq Whitehead.
It is no surprise that Whitehead fell to the Nets, given that the doctor who performed his recent foot surgery was Brooklyn Nets orthopedist Dr. Martin O’Malley.
Despite falling to pick #22, Whitehead is considered a high-upside steal for the Nets. The
young forward was originally projected to be a top-10 draft pick last year; however, due to injury, he fell in the 1st round, giving the Nets the opportunity to draft someone who would normally be out of their reach. The Nets have done this very thing before with former Nets Guard Caris LeVert, who, despite being projected to be a lottery pick, fell to the 20th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft because he also had a foot injury.
Nets GM Sean Marks commented on this:
Given that it was a Nets team doctor who performed the surgery, it is safe to say that the Nets have a good understanding of the type of injury that Whitehead suffered and believe he can make a full recovery. Whitehead himself believes he can return to his pre-injury self, speaking with former Duke Forward and Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum who suffered a similar injury.
Something else to note about Whitehead is that he is a hometown player. Whitehead is
from Newark, New Jersey, and said he attended New Jersey Nets games at the Prudential Center.
Regarding Whitehead's play, at Duke, the 6"7 forward averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds,
and 1 assist on 42.1% FG, 42.9% 3PT, and 79.3% FT while being an active defender. He posted the 13th best defensive box +/- and the 14th best defensive rating in the ACC Division.
While his numbers may seem underwhelming, he was hampered by his injury. During his time in high school at Montverde, he was an athletic finisher, something that could very well come back post- recovery. Even if Whitehead does not regain his explosiveness, he has all the tools to be a very good 3&D wing player in the NBA, standing at 6"7 & with a 6"10 wingspan, weighing 217 lbs and shooting an incredible 42.9% from 3PT in college.
Regarding his recovery, this is what Dr. Martin O'Malley said about Whitehead & his surgery, projecting him to be ready by training camp.
Via
While Whitehead's recovery looks promising, there is an element of risk that he may be
somewhat injury-prone throughout his career, and there is a possibility that he will not regain his athleticism. While they are different injuries, a Jones fracture is what caused former Nets superstar Kevin Durant to miss 55 games during his 2014-15 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, if Whitehead were to make a full recovery, he easily has All-Star potential. It is a high-risk, high-reward move.
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