Dariq Whitehead's Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Nets Roster
The Brooklyn Nets landed one of the best outside shooters in the 2023 NBA draft when they selected Duke's Dariq Whitehead with the No. 22 overall pick.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Dariq Whitehead
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6'7"
Pro Comparison: Cam Reddish
Scouting Report: Though Whitehead wasn't able to showcase much creativity or playmaking, at 6'6", he put together a convincing season of shot-making with his catch-and-shoot three-ball and pull-up.
Noah Clowney, PF: Rookie-scale contract
Dariq Whitehead, SG/SF: Rookie-scale contract
Mikal Bridges, SF: $21.7M (2026)
Dorian Finney-Smith, PF, $13.4M (2026)
Ben Simmons, PG: $37.9M (2025)
Cameron Thomas, SG: $2.2M (2025)
Day'Ron Sharpe, C: $2.2M (2025)
Joe Harris, SG: $19.9M (2024)
Spencer Dinwiddie, PG: $18.9M (2024)
Royce O'Neale, SF: $9.5M (2024)
Nicolas Claxton, C: $8.8M (2024)
Patty Mills, PG: $6.8M (2024)
Edmond Sumner, $2.2M (2024)
Seth Curry, SG: UFA
Cameron Johnson, SF: RFA
Yuta Watanabe, SF: UFA
David Duke Jr., SG: RFA
Dru Smith, SG: RFA
Whitehead arrived at Duke with sky-high expectations as a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
However, his health was something of a concern when he underwent preseason surgery on the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. The 18-year-old played 28 games for the Blue Devils, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in May he needed a second surgery on his foot.
Fortunately for Brooklyn, Whitehead is still expected to be fully recovered by the time the 2023-24 season starts.
He averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists as a secondary contributor for Duke, although he made his biggest mark as an outside shooter. He connected on 42.9 percent of his three-pointers while taking advantage of the spacing created by some of his teammates.
That shooting should help Whitehead compete for immediate playing time in Brooklyn's rotation, especially when defenders collapse on Mikal Bridges and create open looks on the outside for the rest of the team on the floor.
