Guard Dariq Whitehead is unlikely to be available when Duke basketball begins practice after the freshman suffered a fractured right foot during a team workout.
The 6-foot-5 Whitehead, a five-star recruit and projected NBA draft lottery pick, had surgery to repair the injury on Tuesday. Expected to play a major role for the Blue Devils in Jon Scheyer’s first season as head coach, Whitehead was injured Monday.
“We are happy to share that Dariq underwent a successful procedure and is in the best care with our doctors and rehabilitation staff,” Scheyer said in a team statement. “We’re confident he’ll be back on the court soon.”
Duke begins practice Sept. 26 and Whitehead is unlikely to be available. His status for Duke’s first game on Nov. 7 against Jacksonville at Cameron Indoor Stadium is uncertain, although there is hope he will be available in November.
Whitehead’s absence makes it even more important that Australian guard Tyrese Proctor reclassified and arrived at Duke this month. He gives the Blue Devils a needed ball handler. Duke is counting on 6-3 junior Jeremy Roach, the lone starter returning from last season’s Final Four team, to be its main ball handler.
Whitehead, 7-1 Dereck Lively and 6-11 Kyle Filipowski are all top-10 recruits who are major parts of the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the Blue Devils.
