Tag: Dariq Whitehead

Nets’ Dariq Whitehead keeps a good perspective on injury recovery

Brooklyn Nets forward Dariq Whitehead did not play like he wanted to during the Las Vegas Summer League, but he still believes in himself.

The Brooklyn Nets are heading into a rebuild where they will be prioritizing the development of their recent draft picks and the other young players on the team. One of the players on the roster that Brooklyn will be keeping their eyes on is 2023 first-round pick Dariq Whitehead, a player who is still working his way back from injury.

“I’m just happy to be up and down running up and down the court. Last year, I was here on the boot and stuck in crutches,” Whitehead said at the Las Vegas Summer League last month when discussing his shooting struggles. In his first appearance in Vegas since he wasn’t able to play during his rookie season because of his recovery from foot surgery, Whitehead did not play like many Nets fans had hoped on the offensive end.

“Just being able to be out there with the guys and not watching them is a huge blessing for me,” Whitehead explained. “I just don’t want to hang my head on making shots and missing shots right now because I want to make sure I work through things. I know once I get going and get fully my legs back under me, I’m going to make shots. That’s what I do.”

This summer, Whitehead played four games for the Nets in the summer league and while he looked to be mostly back physically, he still shot just 14.6% from the field and 5.0% from three-point land. While Whitehead didn’t play this summer like he had hoped, it’s good to know that he still has the confidence in himself to do his job.

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What can the Nets expect from Dariq Whitehead next season?

With Brooklyn Nets guard Dariq Whitehead turning 20 years old on Thursday, what can be expected of him heading into the 2024-25 season?

The Brooklyn Nets are at the beginning of its latest rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks last month in exchange for as many as five first-round picks and three players. With the franchise headed in a different direction compared to the past few season, the door is open for the young players to play more.

Nets guard Dariq Whitehead turned 20 years old on Thursday and with that being a celebration for him, it also represents how much lies ahead for him as well. Whitehead did not play as much last season as he and the organization had hoped due to various injuries that he suffered, including a stress reaction in his shin that required surgery.

Not to mention that Whitehead came into the 2023-24 season behind the eight-ball as he was recovering from foot surgery following his freshman season at Duke University. Ultimately, Whitehead will be judged by what he does on the court over the next few seasons and at this moment, he essentially has a clean slate.

It was encouraging to see Whitehead play in the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this month given the fact that he couldn’t play last summer, but his performance left a lot to be desired. In four games in Vegas, Whitehead averaged 5.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 14.6% from the field and 8.3% from three-point land.

While Whitehead did not play as well as he would have liked, he did show the signs that he was healthy enough to showcase the athleticism that had him regarded as a top-5 pick prior to his time at Duke. Only so much can be expected from Whitehead during his second season in the NBA, but he can show that he has gotten back to his old self in terms of his physicality, that would be something to hang on to in the early going.

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Nets’ Dariq Whitehead discusses recovery from left leg injury

Brooklyn Nets guard Dariq Whitehead discusses his recovery from the stress reaction in his left shin now that summer league is almost here.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Dariq Whitehead did not get much playing time during his rookie season due to the injuries that he dealt with coming into the 2023-24 campaign. Whitehead’s season ended in January when he was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left shin, but it seems that he may be getting to some kind of normalcy.

“I’m feeling good. I’d say this is the first time in my career since probably high school where I’m feeling like I could get out there and be myself again and contribute the way I know I should contribute,” Whitehead said on Tuesday to the media following summer league practice. Whitehead is one of the main players that fans will be watching the Las Vegas Summer League for and he should be good to go.

“Just getting back and knowing that I’m not trying to rush it, making sure I’m 100% and really healthy for training camp,” Whitehead explained. “Also, knowing that I’m healthy enough to go out there and play all those games and make sure I contribute at a high level and continue to just get better each week.”

Whitehead did not play last summer as he was still recovering from the foot injuries that he dealt with during his freshman season at Duke. He had the second surgery on his right foot prior to training camp and while Whitehead ended up playing in the first half of the season, he was not 100% as he continued to deal with wear-and-tear ailments.

For now, it seems like Whitehead can look forward to the fact that he’ll be able to play without any restrictions as he experiences his first action in the summer league. Whitehead will be an interesting player to keep tabs on as Brooklyn will be able to afford him plenty of playing time due to the franchise entering a full rebuild.

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Nets’ Dariq Whitehead gives reaction to injury-riddled rookie season

As part of the Brooklyn Nets’ “Year 1” rookie series, Dariq Whitehead gave his reaction to his rookie season being riddled with injuries.

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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Nets’ Dariq Whitehead gives update on shin surgery recovery

During Tuesday’s 104-91 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead have an update on his recovery from surgery.

Brooklyn Nets guard Dariq Whitehead, the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had season-ending surgery on Jan. 29 on his left shin to address a stress reaction. While he is still recovering from that surgery, he has been seen on the Nets bench in recent games and was even at Tuesday’s 104-91 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Whitehead did not play much this season as he was dealing with various ailments while getting back into playing shape following offseason surgery on his right foot. So, when Whitehead was eventually ruled out for the season, it was not surprising given that he still had some ground to make up before he’s fully healthy.

With that being said, Whitehead is one of the players that will be part of Brooklyn’s future for the time being given where he was drafted. Well, during Tuesday’s loss to the Pelicans, Whitehead spoke to Meghan Triplett of YES Network to explain how his recovery is going:

“The recovery process has been going great. Just making sure that we don’t rush things. Take our time and come back right this time and do it the right way. It’s been going great… just making sure that I constantly take each day and just trust the process and everything will be alright.”

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Could any of the Nets be in the Rising Stars showcase next season?

Are there any of the Brooklyn Nets rookies that could be in the Rising Stars competition next season? Here’s what Nets Wire thinks.

The 2024 Panini Rising Stars game happened on Friday with Team Jalen beating Team Detlef in the Finals to win the entire competition. The showcase displayed some of the rising young talent that the NBA has to offer with the competition comprising of rookie, sophomores, and some G League players.

The Brooklyn Nets did not have any players in the showcase, but that is a representation of where the Nets are as an organization. There are no sophomores on the team and while there are three rookies, one of them, Dariq Whitehead, essentially did not play this season as he was rehabbing from his foot surgeries that he had this offseason.

Noah Clowney and Jalen Wilson have had varying levels of success this season with Wilson showing how much potential he has to be a contributor within Brooklyn’s rotation already while Clowney has shown how much he has left to develop. With that being said, here’s a look at which of these three players could be a rising star in the 2024-25 season:

Nets rule out Dariq Whitehead for rest of season after successful surgery

The Brooklyn Nets announced on Monday that rookie forward Dariq Whitehead is ruled out for the rest of the season after his surgery.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets were hoping to see what forward Dariq Whitehead, the 22nd overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, would look like at the NBA level at some point this season. However, it looks like that will have to wait until next season.

The Nets announced on Monday that Whitehead had successful surgery to address the stress reaction in his left shin. On Jan 18. Whitehead was ruled out from any participation by the Nets due to the stress reaction which seemed to either be his body’s response to the shin splints that he was experiencing throughout the season or as a possible sign of his injury getting worse. It was not made clear what caused the stress reaction.

Either way, Whitehead will be spending approximately the next three months recovering from this surgery, but he is expected to make a complete recovery, per the Nets. Also, Whitehead is expected to be a full participant in the team’s offseason program so it sounds like he will not miss any valuable time this summer.

This is what Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn had to say about Whitehead during Monday’s pregame media availability:

“Yeah, first of all, the surgery was successful, so that’s good for him. Talked to him today. He was in good spirits. He’ll stay at home today, stay at home tomorrow. And, the hope that he is a full participant in our off -season development, so looking forward to that for him and his career going forward.”

Whitehead, 19, spent most of his time this season playing for Brooklyn’s G League team, the Long Island Nets, as he continued to work his way back from the surgeries that he had on his right foot this past offseason. In four games for Long Island, Whitehead averaged 8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 14.3% from three-point land.

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Nets’ Jacque Vaughn: Dariq Whitehead to undergo season-ending surgery

Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead will undergo season-ending surgery to address a left shin stress reaction.

Brooklyn Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday to address a left shin stress reaction, according to Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire.

The Nets announced on Jan. 18 that Whitehead was diagnosed with the injury and they would evaluate treatment options. Whitehead said on Tuesday the rehabilitation plan was still being discussed to ensure he would be ready for the start of next season.

Whitehead underwent two surgeries on his right foot prior to joining the organization. He missed summer league and was limited in training camp after going under the knife in June. He was eventually cleared for game action in November.

The 19-year-old has made two appearances with the Nets and has spent the majority of the season in the G League with the Long Island Nets. He last played with Long Island on Jan. 8 before suffering his latest setback on the court.

Whitehead averaged 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 38.2% shooting from the field in 17 games with Long Island. He scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 15 points and six rebounds on Dec. 7.

The Nets drafted Whitehead with the 22nd pick after he averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and one assist on 42.9% shooting from 3-point range as a freshman at Duke. He finished second in the ACC in 3-point percentage, the fifth-highest mark of any freshman in program history.

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Nets’ Ben Simmons is likely to return to the court next week vs. Jazz

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said on Saturday that Ben Simmons is ‘likely’ to return for Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has played just six games this season after a nerve impingement in his lower left back in the beginning of November took him off the court for a significant amount of time. However, the good news is that he should be back for the Nets soon.

“Yeah, all signs point towards the likelihood of him playing next week,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said of Simmons prior to Saturday’s matchup against the Houston Rockets. Simmons practiced earlier in the day on Saturday with the Long Island Nets and per Vaughn, everything went well during that session.

Vaughn mentioned that Simmons has a “high likelihood” of returning to the court for Monday’s home game against the Utah Jazz.

In other news, as Nets Wire covered previously, Cam Johnson will miss Saturday’s game against the Rockets due to personal reasons. Per Vaughn, it seems that whatever Johnson is going through, he will come back to the team shortly.

As a result, Cam Thomas will start in Johnson’s place. Thomas, who is second on the team in scoring with a 20.5 points per game average, will draw his 21st start of the season. When he has started, Thomas is averaging 22.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range.

Vaughn said that backup center Day’Ron Sharpe, who is averaging 7.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in 16.0 minutes primarily off the bench, is still “far behind” from practicing at this moment. He’s been doing individual work while allowing his hyperextended left knee to heal.

In more injury news, Dariq Whitehead, the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, will be getting season-ending surgery to address the stress reaction in his left shin, according to Vaughn. Vaughn said that it’s still too early to see if Whitehead will be able to participate in the summer league, but that the team will have an update after his surgery on Monday.

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Nets’ Dariq Whitehead working through timeline to return from shin injury

Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead was diagnosed with a left shin stress reaction last week and will return to action following a full recovery.

Brooklyn Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead was diagnosed with a left shin stress reaction last week and will return to action following a full recovery, the team announced.

Whitehead had two surgeries on his right foot before joining the Nets last year. He missed summer league and was limited in training camp after undergoing the second procedure in June with bone grafting for a fifth metatarsal Jones fracture.

The 19-year-old was cleared for game action and started the season in the G League with the Long Island Nets, logging 17 appearances before suffering his latest setback. He doesn’t have a timetable for when he may return, according to Evan Barnes of Newsday.

Whitehead, who last played with Long Island on Jan. 8, is averaging 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 38.2% shooting from the field. He has scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 15 points and six rebounds on Dec. 7.

The organization expected to bring Whitehead along slowly this year after coming off two foot surgeries. The team will now formulate a rehabilitation plan for him for his shin injury and provide a timeline to return once it is available.

The Nets drafted Whitehead with the 22nd pick after averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and one assist on 42.9% shooting from 3-point range as a freshman at Duke. He finished second in the ACC in 3-point percentage, the fifth-highest mark of any freshman in program history.

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