You probably will not be surprised to learn that Duke is still an attractive destination for the best basketball players in the country. Five-star small forward Dariq Whitehead proved that by announcing his commitment to the Blue Devils on Sunday night, according to ESPN.
Whitehead is the No. 6 overall player in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He committed to Duke over a number of other top programs and a substantial offer from the NBA G League. This despite the Blue Devils' obvious transition before he steps on the court from legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer.
247Sports college basketball recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer compares Whitehead to former Texas Tech wing Jarrett Culver.
Solid size for a wing. Has quick twitch athleticism. Fast with the basketball. Loves to attack the rim, but has a smooth jumper. Three-level scorer. Has a great pull up jumper going left. Solid ball handler and passer who plays with awareness and instincts. Rebounds his position well. Has tremendous potential as a versatile defender.
Whitehead is the second top-tier player to commit to Duke in the last few days as four-star center Kyle Filipowski, the No. 33 player in the 247Sports Composite, pledged to the Blue Devils on Thursday.
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Whitehead plays his high school ball at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. If that sounds familiar, it's with good reason. Last week's 2021 NBA Draft saw four former Montverde players selected in the first round, including No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham.
Ironically, last week's NBA Draft was also the first time there wasn't a player from Duke selected in the lottery (picks No. 1 through No. 14) since 2013. No doubt Whitehead hopes to become the next lottery pick for both schools.
