Former Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead will reportedly undergo a second foot procedure to correct a previous surgery, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Whitehead missed the first four games of last season after undergoing surgery on the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in August. He managed to play 28 games with the Blue Devils but the bone did not heal properly, prompting a second surgery.
The 18-year-old recently met with multiple foot specialists to determine the severity of the injury. He then decided, in consultation with his representation at Excel Sports Management, that a second surgery was necessary.
He is expected to be ready to play at the start of next season.
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Whitehead averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and one assist on 42.9% shooting from 3-point range. He finished second in the ACC in 3-point percentage as it was the fifth-highest mark of any freshman in program history.
The 6-foot-7 forward is considered a mid-to-late first-round pick despite an uneven campaign. His shooting from beyond the arc will certainly stand out, but Whitehead showed he can be a three-level scorer at the next level and put up points in a hurry.
Whitehead is still expected to meet with teams at the draft combine on May 15-21 in Chicago, Illinois. Though he won’t be able to participate in pre-draft workouts, he likely showed enough at Duke to hear his name called in the first round on June 22.
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Story originally appeared on Rookie Wire