Brooklyn Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead was a player that was expected to rehab his lingering foot injury with some chance of being able to show something on the court. Unfortunately, Whitehead did not play much this season for Brooklyn or for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, and he was most disappointed by that.
“To have that setback kind of was a bummer,” Whitehead said of his left shin stress reaction that knocked him out in January after spending much of the season trying to play through some injuries. Whitehead, giving his reaction as part of the Nets’ “Year 1” rookie series, came into the season rehabbing a foot injury that he had two surgeries on after his freshman season at Duke University, but was able to step on the court after enough time passed.
“But, I looked at it (the injury) as a way for me to get stronger,” Whitehead explained. “A way for me to get better and work on things that I wouldn’t have been able to work on if I was you know playing in the G (League).”
Whitehead, 19, played in just two games for Brooklyn this season, averaging 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 20.0% from the field. His numbers in the G League were better with averages of 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 36.3% from the floor and 31.0% from deep.
One could describe this season as somewhat of a redshirt season for Whitehead as he spent most of the season trying to play through his injuries without pushing himself too hard and suffer a setback. Unfortunately, that setback happened anyway, but it seems that he is continuing to have a positive mindset through a tough time in his playing career.
“Just making sure you continue to tell yourself that you got to put your head down and work to get you where you need to be,” Whitehead said. “That’s what’s going to get us through these days and continue to get us through the days throughout the year.”
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