Recruiting Report: Dariq Whitehead (2022)

Before the high school basketball season was canceled due to COVID-19, Montverde Academy was on their way to completing what was arguably the most dominant season we’ve ever seen at the high school level. Dismantling highly ranked powerhouse programs by 15+ points on a routine basis, the Eagles were led by a bevy of the nation’s top seniors including Cade Cunningham Cade Cunningham 6'7" | SF Montverde Academy | 2020 State #2 Nation FL (Oklahoma State) and Scottie Barnes Scottie Barnes 6'8" | SF Montverde Academy | 2020 State #12 Nation FL (Florida State). An underclassman on that roster who chipped in 18.5 minutes per game was Dariq Whitehead Dariq Whitehead 6'5" | SF Montverde Academy | 2022 State #5 Nation FL , a 6-foot-5 guard/wing who has recently seen his recruitment explode.

"This season was great, it was even better than I had expected," Whitehead told Prep Hoops. "Playing with guys like Cade and Scottie, I wasn’t sure what my minutes would look like, but I ended up playing a good bit and I was really happy with the outcome of the season even though it was cut short."

Whitehead is just 15 years old (turning 16 in September), so being around players such as Cunningham and Barnes was a tremendous opportunity for growth both on and off the floor.

"The hard work, dedication they had towards the game and how to be a leader. Those are three things I really picked up from Cade and Scottie. They came into practice everyday and got after it. They made sure they were great leaders for us younger guys and those are things I’ll take with me as I go forward," Whitehead said.

His blend of size and athleticism are the catalysts for bolstering his name into being considered as one of the top sophomores in the country. Whitehead was slated to play on the EYBL Circuit with Team Durant’s 17U this summer, but due to COVID-19 concerns, the circuit has been canceled. While Team Durant still looks to play in a few independent events, Whitehead stays focused on improving and preparing for next season.

"The mindset right now is to just keep getting better and keep pushing my teammates while we’re in the gym right now," Whitehead said following one of Team Durant’s training camp sessions."There’s room for improvement with everything in my game, but I’m focused on ball handling and being more dangerous coming off of screens. Improving my shooting and getting low on defense are definitely other things. I look at it as there is no area of my game that is complete."

A humbling response from a young man who can pull off some jaw-dropping plays in the air. 

The attention that Whitehead has received from colleges has exploded. 15 schools have extended offers including Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Little Rock, LSU, Maryland, Memphis, NC State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and Wake Forest.

"For me personally, I don’t let the attention get me big-headed because I feel like it could make you or break you," Whitehead said as he reflected on the attention he’s getting from high major programs. "My brother is in the NFL, so he tells me that attention should push you to go harder because there’s more people watching."

In terms of what Whitehead will be looking for in a school when the time comes to decide he said the following:

"The way the coach bonds with the players and the make up of the roster. It’s really about if the coach pushes his players and the system. I like a read-and-react type of system who also gets up and down. I don’t want to play in a system who likes to slow it down. I want to get up and down and average 90 points per game as a team. That’s just always been the way I’ve been taught to play."