Wing guard from FAB 50 No. 2 Montverde Academy Academy (Montverde, Fla.) named 2022 Mr. Basketball USA by Ballislife.com. The Duke-bound Whitehead is the fourth participant from Montverde Academy to earn the nation’s highest particular person highschool basketball honor in eight years, becoming a member of Ben Simmons (2015), R.J. Barrett (2018) and Cade Cunningham (2020).
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With the ever-changing panorama of highschool basketball, we forecasted some sudden leads to the primary full highschool season since 2018-19. That, after all, was the final season unaffected by the COVID-19 Pandemic that modified the world in March of 2020. This season noticed the return of state playoffs in each state and the return of the nationwide all-star video games.
Within the race for nationwide participant of the yr honors, the post-season and nationwide all-star video games are historically a giant consider deciding who earns the title Mr. Basketball USA, the production-based nationwide participant of the yr honor chosen by Ballislife’s 10-man panel of nationwide scouts. This yr’s nationwide participant of the yr race was wide-open from the beginning and the outcomes of the ultimate Mr. Basketball USA Tracker reveal some shocking outcomes.
Dariq Whitehead, the Duke-bound wingman who contributed to 4 glorious Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) groups over his profession, capped off his four-year run by topping the voting tally on this season’s ultimate tracker. In the present day, Whitehead is honored with the title of 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA.
In his profession, Whitehead helped the Eagles win back-to-back FAB 50 national titles in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Whitehead was a reserve on one of many greatest teams of all-time and considered one of seven gamers to common between 8.3 ppg and 13.9 ppg. The group’s ringleaders have been main scorer and 2020 Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham and third main scorer Scottie Barnes (11.6 ppg), who was additionally second in rebounding (6.5), second in assists (4.6 apg) first in deflections (1.7 dpg), and first in steals (1.9 spg). Simply this week, Barnes was named NBA Rookie of the 12 months for the Toronto Raptors, whereas Cunningham got here in third within the voting behind 2020 Mr. Basketball USA runner-up Evan Mobley (Barnes was No. 5 within the ultimate voting).
Final season, Whitehead averaged 10.4 ppg on a balanced group that received its second consecutive legendary nationwide title. That group was led by nationwide junior of the yr Jalen Duren, who completed third in the final 2021 Mr. Basketball USA voting with 66 complete factors behind unanimous honoree Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga (100 factors out of a attainable 100) and runner-up Jabari Smith of Auburn (79 factors). Duren, together with highly-regarded prospect Emoni Bates (the 2020 Nationwide Sophomore of the 12 months) each re-classed up and performed for Memphis in 2021-22. The void they left helped create the wide-open race heading into 2021-22.
Whitehead got here in No. 5 within the preseason balloting (40 factors whereas showing on six of 10 ballots). The chief within the clubhouse was 7-foot-1 middle Dereck Full of life of Westtown Faculty (West Chester, Pa.), who appeared on all ten ballots, obtained seven first place votes and completed with 84 factors.
Whitehead stepped up big-time after Duren left for Memphis and the Mr. Basketball USA panel took discover. Whitehead led Montverde Academy to a 22-4 season, together with a GEICO Nationals title and final No. 2 FAB 50 ranking. Whitehead hit the large bounce shot within the GEICO Nationals title recreation win over Hyperlink Academy (Branson, Mo.) and averaged 15.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, and three.0 rpg in three video games on the end-of-season occasion. For the season, Whitehead averaged 17.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg and three.8 apg for the nation’s No. 2 group within the FAB 50.
Whitehead cemented his standing as 2021-22’s high performer on the nationwide all-star video games, which allowed him to over take preseason front-runner Full of life, his future Duke teammate as a part of new coach John Scheyer’s top-rated recruiting class. Whitehead was named MVP on the McDonald’s All-American Recreation (13 pts, 7 rbs, 7 asts) and in addition shined for Crew USA on the Nike Hoop Summit with a team-high 17 factors, together with 5-of-7 3-pointers.
Whitehead and Full of life obtained all 10 first place votes, with Whitehead receiving seven, one second place vote (9 factors), one fifth place vote (six factors) and one sixth place vote (5 factors) for 90 complete factors. Full of life didn’t seem in any respect on one poll and, along with his three first place votes, obtained two second locations votes, one third place vote, one fourth, one sixth and one tenth place vote for a complete of 69 factors.
“I’m so glad and pleased with Dariq,” stated Montverde Academy coach Kevin Boyle. “He began at Montverde Academy within the eighth grade and has matured to unbelievable heights as an individual, participant and pupil.”
Just one different participant appeared on all ten ballots alongside Whitehead amongst 24 candidates: capturing guard Keyonte George of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). He garnered one second place vote and three third place votes and completed 5 factors behind Full of life with 64 factors. Two of Whitehead’s teammates at Montverde Academy (Texas certain Dillon Mitchell and junior Kwame Evans) and two of George’s teammates at IMG Academy (Houston certain Jarace Walker and Alabama certain Jaden Bradley) additionally obtained participant of the yr votes. It speaks to the huge open nature of the balloting and the consensus opinion of the panel that there aren’t any sure-fire high NBA Draft decide sorts on the stage Holmgren and Smith have been graded on the high of the 2021 class, which made the voting this season as tough as any within the 15-year historical past of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker.
“I imagine there may be little or no separation between No. 1 and No. 10 and no clear minimize finest mixture of participant expertise and season manufacturing,” stated panel member Van Coleman of Nothing However Internet Journal. This was the hardest voting in years, doubtless because of class hopping and professional alternatives.”
