Recruiting Report: Montverde’s Dariq Whitehead (2022)
Pat Lammer
<p><strong>Dariq Whitehead</strong> is one of the top rising sophomores in the state of Florida.</p>
<p>The 6-foot-5 Montverde Academy forward was one of 30 national prospects invited to the USA Basketball U16 tryouts at University School in Davie.</p>
<p>Whitehead would not end up making the final 12-man squad, but the talented forward is expected to have a breakout season in 2019-2020.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"My eighth grade year that was the year of <strong>R.J. Barrett</strong> and them, so I sat and kind of learned," said Whitehead, of Newark, N.J. "I learned a lot from them. So, my ninth grade year I played more. I didn’t get the minutes that I would believe, but I still took that year as a learning experience. He [head coach <strong>Kevin Boyle</strong>] said my 10th-grade year should be the year I start to play a lot and get things going."</span></p>
<p>Whitehead was one of five prospects with Florida connections at the USA tryouts.</p>
<p>He is an athletic, active wing that can get out and go. He showed the ability to score in bunches and Whitehead can pressure defensively.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I always like to compete against the best of the best and I feel like here you’ve got the opportunity to do so," Whitehead said of the U16 invite. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This past season, he played behind senior <strong>Harlond Beverly</strong> -- who would sign with the University of Miami -- and junior <strong>Moses Moody </strong>on a Montverde squad that one again would reach GEICO Nationals. </span></p>
<p>Whitehead has already picked up scholarship offers from <span style="font-weight: 400;">Arkansas-Little Rock, Rutgers and Seton Hall. Arizona, LSU, West Virginia, Louisville and N.C. State are among the schools showing interest.</span></p>
<p>Asked what college coaches say they like about his game, Whitehead said: "<span style="font-weight: 400;">They like the way I am locked in in a game ... the way I attack the basket. They’ve been watching me for a while. They say my shot has gotten way better.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Really to me I’m just looking at what’s going to be the best fit for me. I understand, like, people go to the big-name schools because of the coaches. But at the end of the day I am going to have to go where is best for me. Where is going to get me where I need to be, where I am going to develop?"</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whitehead plays on the travel circuit with AOT in the Nike EYBL.</span></p>
<p><em>If you have high school or travel basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com</em></p>
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