Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead will enter the 2023 NBA Draft, he announced Wednesday.
“I’m really looking forward to this next step in my basketball career and I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity,” he said in a team-released statement. “I’ve dreamed of these moments for so long. I can’t wait to get after it and continue preparing for the NBA Draft. I want to thank Duke University from my professors to my coaches and my teammates — I appreciate your help with everything this year.”
In a tweet, Whitehead said he will be represented by Excel Sports Management. Hiring an agent locks in his decision to enter the draft and not return to the Blue Devils.
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— Dariq whitehead (@dariq_whitehead) March 29, 2023
The 6-foot-6 Whitehead was a five-star prospect from New Jersey and the No. 2 overall player in the Class of 2022, per the 247Sports composite. He missed the start of the season with a broken right foot suffered during a team workout in the preseason.
Whitehead played in 28 games (seven starts) and averaged 8.3 points per game. He led the Blue Devils with a 42.4 shooting percentage from 3-point range.
Against Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Whitehead came off the bench to score 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. In the second-round loss to Tennessee, he played a career-high 33 minutes.
–Field Level Media