Duke announced that incoming freshman wing Dariq Whitehead underwent surgery to repair a fractured foot injury he suffered during an offseason team workout on Monday.
Whitehead will begin rehab immediately and is expected to play this fall, per Duke.
Whitehead arrived on campus after winning the 2022 Naismith High School Player of the Year and back-to-back national championships at Montverde Academy. When he committed to playing at Duke, Whitehead was the No. 6 overall player and No. 3 small forward in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite Rating.
The freshman wing is projected to be a one-and-done player. At 6’6 with elite athleticism and scoring instincts, Whitehead is the kind of versatile wing that NBA scouts and execs seek after during the draft process. With his skill set, it’s only natural that he’s considered a lottery-level talent months before the 2023 NBA Draft.
When Whitehead returns, he will have to quickly integrate himself into a young lineup that he is expected to headline alongside junior point guard Jeremy Roach and fellow one-and-done prospect Derek Lively. Roach is the only player in Duke’s lineup that played significant minutes during the Blue Devils’ Final Four season.
