For Dariq Whitehead, new coach, new season offer a new start ... likely in Summer League

When Jordi Fernandez arrived for his introductory press conference Wednesday morning, Dariq Whitehead was there to greet him. The still 19-year-old has been cleared for court work and along with Cam Johnson he was putting up shots as TV crews were setting up and reporters gathered a few feet away.

Whitehead, a Newark, N.J. native, has had a tough time since he came out of Florida’s Montverde Academy in 2022 as a top, if not the top, NBA wing prospect.

He’s had three foot and leg surgeries (on both legs) since August 2022 when he went under the knife for a right root fracture. Just before the 2023 Draft. Whitehead had a a second surgery on that foot, which included bone grafting. Then, on January 29 he was shut down after he underwent surgery for a stress reaction in his left shin. At the time a Nets medical update said that after a three month recovery, Whitehead should be “a full participant in the team’s offseason development program.” It was risky for the Nets to take him at No. 22.

Now, though, Whitehead is ready for a second attempt to justify the Nets taking him at No. 22 in the 2023 Draft, the youngest pick in organization history. Talking with reporters on Wednesday, Sean Marks gave an update on both Whitehead and Ben Simmons who was declared out for the season, undergoing a second surgery on his back.

“Dariq should play in summer league, should be available in summer league. Whether or not he plays the entire summer league or not, that’ll be TBD,” said Marks. “But the plan right now is he’s in the gym every day.” Whitehead himself didn’t speak.

Summer League will be a bit delayed this year with a July 12 start date, Fernandez will be in Las Vegas as well for Team Canada training camp and a July 10 “friendly” — exhibition — game vs. Team USA.

Whitehead got only 12 minutes of playing time over two games during his short stints with Brooklyn. He was also limited in G League play by injury and by health management limitations. He averaged 8.8 points in 18.6 minutes per game for the Long Island Nets playing in 17 games. By the time January rolled around, and Whitehead was missing games because of his shin, he sounded frustrated.

“I feel like I’m there and trending in the right direction,” he said. “I just have to play with more energy. I have to be back to that dog I was before and not let this injury linger in my mind so I can play like how I want to play.”

By mid-March, Whitehead was back to his optimistic ways but also said, without further explanation, that everyone had to understand, “we don’t rush things. Take our time and come back right this time and do it the right way,”

“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.”

Jordi Fernandez told reporters on Wednesday that Brooklyn’s youth was one of the things that drew him to the Nets. As of today, Whitehead is still the Nets youngest player at 19 years, 270 days.