NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets forward Dariq Whitehead is heading into his third season in the NBA after being selected by the Nets with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Prior to the beginning of the 2025-26 season, Whitehead will be competing for a spot in head coach Jordi Fernandez’s rotation. However, there is a possibility that the former Blue Devil could be vying for his spot on the team as well.

“I feel about better now than I did in college. College, I was hurting, but it’s there. I feel like (this is) the last step for me. Like I said, this is gonna be an important summer for me,” Whitehead said following a 119-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in April. Whitehead was coming off one of his best games of the 2024-25 season while foreshadowing how big next season will be for him.

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“Since I’ve been hurt, I haven’t been able to just work on those things, get my athleticism back, and, just doing certain movements,” Whitehead continued while explaining how his past injuries have hindered his development in the NBA. “Just me attacking this summer is gonna be really important for me, and being able to, listen to coach (Fernandez) when we have exit meetings and whatever he want me to do, making sure I implement that to my summer routine so that I’m coming back stronger next year.”

Whitehead, 21, is coming off a 2024-25 campaign in which he averaged 5.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per game while shooting 40.6% from the field and 44.6% from three-point range. Compared to his rookie season two years ago, Whitehead had significantly more playing time (246 minutes last season compared to 24 minutes his rookie year) and improved in virtually every statistical category.

After Whitehead gave his last interview of the 2024-25 season following the win over the Pelicans, Brooklyn selected five players in the 2025 NBA Draft, including Drake Powell, who plays the same position as Whitehead. While that isn’t to say that Powell will immediately step into Whitehead’s role coming out of training camp, but with players like Michael Porter Jr., Ziaire Williams, and Terance Mann on the roster, Whitehead will have his work cut out for him.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Is Nets’ Dariq Whitehead heading into a make-or-break 2025-26 season?