With the 2023 NBA Draft not so far away, experts and fans will go through thorough research and do their due diligence on nearly every single one of the top-tier prospects.
That could mean trouble for potential lottery pick Dariq Whitehead, whose draft stock might suffer a big bump after Adrian Wojnarowski’s latest report.
According to Woj, the Duke freshman will have to undergo a second surgery on his injured foot, and even though he’s expected to be ready for the start of the season, it might still hurt his chances of going in the top 10 as originally projected.
Whitehead, who underwent a procedure on the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in August, recently met with several foot specialists to determine that a second procedure is necessary to properly repair the injury, his agents at @excelsm tell ESPN. https://t.co/m2t3JH8qP0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 5, 2023
Whitehead underwent surgery to repair the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, and now several foot specialists concluded that he needed to go under the knife again.
As of now, Whitehead is projected to be the No. 24 pick by ESPN’s experts.
He was a McDonald’s All-American and committed to Duke as a consensus top-10 player in the nation after thriving at Montverde Academy in Florida.
The Newark native averaged 8.3 points in 20.7 minutes per game and 43% shooting from beyond the arc, making 28 appearances for the Blue Devils.
The young forward boasts elite athleticism and stands at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, and he projects to be a solid combo/forward with an ability to stretch the floor at the next level.
He’s yet to turn 19 years old and is fully expected to be healthy for the upcoming NBA Draft Combine in Chicago next month to meet with all teams.
Hopefully, he’ll be back to full strength sooner rather than later.
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