This was the Dariq Whitehead that Nets fans had been wanting to see. Waiting to see. Frankly, wondering if they’d ever see.
Hindered first by injuries, then by rust and finally by his own crisis of confidence, Whitehead had a breakthrough Monday in Chicago.
The Newark native had 18 points, shot 6-for-10 from deep and teased the potential that made him the top schoolboy prospect just three years ago.
It’s what Whitehead had been through in the meantime — two surgeries since being drafted, a lost rookie season — that made Monday so sweet.
He teased his breakout with 26 points in his last G League game, and after Brooklyn’s spate of injuries saw him get called up and given a chance against the Bulls, Whitehead didn’t waste it.
“That was a huge part of [it],” Whitehead said. “Me scoring that 26 in the G League, it just brought back confidence that I’ve been missing for two years in dealing with the injuries, just not believing in myself. Obviously knowing the talent was there, but not doing anything in the past two years.
“So I feel like that was just a huge step for me in attacking, just getting ready for [Monday] and making sure I’m staying ready. And my name was called, and I was able to go in there and contribute.”
That confidence was understandably low.
To paraphrase a great philosopher, basketball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical.
Whitehead had struggled with both ends of that equation.
Since being the top overall prospect in 2022, per Rivals, Whitehead has gone through three surgeries.
The first came on his fractured right foot before his lone year at Duke, robbing him of explosiveness.
Then came another on the same foot before the 2023 NBA Draft, where he fell to the Nets at No. 22.
Whitehead’s third surgery was repairing a stress reaction to his shin in January.
He saw his rookie year essentially washed out and struggled in Summer League, shooting 14.6 percent and just 2-for-24 from deep.
He was called a bust and worse.
But the organization showed faith in Whitehead last month, picking up his $3.2 million extension for next season.
And his teammates have shown trust in him as well, something that buoyed him.
“It was more of a confidence thing,” Whitehead said. “Being out there with them more and more, you start to get more confidence just to take the shots that you feel you can make. And them having the trust in you to take them shots, it allows some of them to go in.”
Plenty went in on Monday. At 20 years and 123 days, Whitehead is the youngest player in Nets history to hit six 3s in a game, and the second-youngest in the league this season behind only No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher (19 years, 212 days).
“It was great,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “I ask him to be ready to shoot, to play like he knows what we’re about and what we’re trying to do. Just don’t overthink it and do it. And he did an amazing job. He shot ten 3s and made six. I’m happy for him.
“But the reality is he put the work in, the coaches he works with, the medical performance, he got healthy so obviously I’m happy to see that … happy for him.”
Of course, it’s just two games — one in the G League. That doesn’t guarantee a corner has been turned, and improvement is rarely linear.
And there is the question of opportunity. The Nets were down eight players on Monday, including top scorer Cam Thomas.
When Thomas returns, there will be fewer off-guard minutes for Whitehead.
But until that time comes, Whitehead can keep opening eyes.
“My young bull, Dariq? I’ve known he can shoot the ball like that,” said Day’Ron Sharpe, Whitehead’s teammate on the unbeaten 2020 Montverde squad. “I’m just glad he was able to show everybody he can shoot the ball like that, too.”
And remind himself as well.
