Duke men’s head coach Jon Scheyer on Thursday said freshman Dariq Whitehead avoided a season-ending leg injury on Monday in a loss to Virginia Tech.
Whitehead sustained the injury early in the second half after jumping for a loose ball. He immediately grabbed his lower left leg and hit the court in visible discomfort. He limped off the court and later left for the locker room. He was later seen on crutches.
The MRI testing revealed no structural damage; Scheyer referred to the injury as a strain. The team does not have a timetable for his return, but the 6-foot-7 forward will not play on Saturday against Georgia Tech, according to Brendan Marks of The Athletic.
Jon Scheyer says that Dariq Whitehead will not play Saturday vs. Georgia Tech, but did NOT suffer a season-ending injury vs. Virginia Tech.
"I think he got a lot of relief once we did the testing."
Adds that Whitehead had no structural damage.
— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) January 26, 2023
Whitehead is averaging 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 37.3% shooting from 3-point range in 16 games. He missed the first three games of the season due to a foot fracture, but appeared to be settling in; He has scored in double figures in six of his last eight games.
The 18-year-old is projected to be a first-round pick this season given his ability to score in a variety of ways. His slow start has created some questions regarding his ability at the next level, though, and it will be worth monitoring how he bounces back from this latest setback.
Overall, the injury news is certainly encouraging considering how severe it looked on replay. The team will be cautious with his return as Whitehead looks to get back to full strength.
