Dariq Whitehead's Struggles Continue In Nets' Final Summer League Loss

Whitehead has been inefficient from the field through four summer appearances.

Nov 25, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Dariq Whitehead (0) during his NBA debut in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets suffered their second loss in the NBA Summer League last night, losing 97-90 to the Charlotte Hornets. In a low-scoring affair, Brooklyn's starters combined for just 53 points, with Keon Johnson leading the way with 15.

Dariq Whitehead returned to play after missing the Nets' last game. Whitehead had previously shot 3-for-34 in the first three summer league games (now 5-for-41 in four games), and his struggles continued last night, going 2-7 from the field and 0-3 from deep.

Whitehead finished with four points, four rebounds, and one assists in 18 minutes. Nets fans took notice to his inefficiencies on X, and Whitehead was quick to respond after the loss to Charlotte.

Been injured for about 2 years and yall expect it to come back in a week😂glad I was able to get through 4 games this week‼️

— Dariq whitehead (@dariq_whitehead) July 22, 2024

Whitehead played just two games last season, splitting time between the NBA and the G League. He was diagnosed with a left shin stress reaction in January, and missed the rest of the 2023-24 season because of it.

At Duke, injuries were also an issue. Whitehead struggled with a foot injury at Duke, and had to miss the 2023 NBA Summer League and Nets' training camp because of that as well. Whitehead had a lot of promise coming out of high school, and still does in Brooklyn. He was one of the highest-rated recruit in his class and displayed great shooting at Duke, going 42.9% from deep.

As we now know, summer league play doesn't define a player. Plenty of prospects have had poor performances, and then adjusted in the NBA, and vice versa. As he noted, Whitehead has been dealing with injuries the last two years, and after enough games under his belt, hopefully he can find a rhythm and start producing for the Nets.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.