Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead, the No. 2 recruit within the 2022 cycle and one of many crown jewels of the Blue Devils’ top-ranked incoming class, underwent surgical procedure on Tuesday to restore a fracture in his proper foot, the program announced. Whitehead sustained the damage on Monday throughout a staff exercise. He’s anticipated to instantly start rehab, and although Duke anticipates he’ll play “this fall,” a timeline for his return was not laid out.
“We’re glad to share that Dariq underwent a profitable process immediately, and is in the most effective care with our medical doctors and rehabilitation employees,” stated head coach Jon Scheyer in a press release. “We’re assured he’ll be again on the court docket quickly.”
Whitehead, a 6-foot-6 small ahead who performed at highschool powerhouse Montverde Academy, has been seen for practically two years as a top-10 participant in his class and a projected future first-round expertise. He actually made a leap over the past 12 months, although, ending because the No. 2 total participant within the 247Sports rankings for the 2022 cycle.
Duke has gobs of expertise to carry down the fort in Whitehead’s absence needs to be be unavailable when the season opens on Nov. 2 towards Fayetteville State. The Blue Devils signed No. 1 total recruit Dereck Full of life II and No. 4 total recruit Kyle Filipowski as headliners of their first full recruiting class beneath Scheyer since Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement.
Nonetheless, Duke will want Whitehead again and at full power to understand its title-contending potential. He is a projected top-10 pick within the 2023 NBA Draft and figures to be a plug-and-play starter at ahead for a staff that misplaced each AJ Griffin and Wendell Moore Jr. — each ahead prospects — to the NBA Draft.
