5. Dariq Whitehead, Duke
I may be a little higher than most on Dariq Whitehead and it’s because I simply don’t believe he’s even scratched the surface of the player that he could end up being at the next level. He had a solid freshman season at Duke and he wasn’t even a huge part of the team’s overall plan this season. In his freshman season at Duke, Whitehead averaged eight points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent shooting from 3-point range.
He wasn’t a full-time starter for the team and made most of his waves on the defensive end of the floor and as one of the team’s most prolific 3-point shooters. And if that ends up being his floor in the NBA, there’s no question that he should be a first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
If Whitehead is nothing but a 3-and-D force in the NBA, that’s a win. Especially considering he’s going to be a late first or early second-round pick. But because of his size, length, and athleticism, his ceiling is so much greater.
If Whitehead lands on a team that is willing to invest time and resources into his development, there’s a chance he ends up being one of the steals in this draft class.