Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Three wings the Tar Heels should target in 2022

By Blake Cockrum

Feb 29, 2020; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams encourages his team against the Syracuse Orange in the second half at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 29, 2020; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams encourages his team against the Syracuse Orange in the second half at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
UNC Basketball
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 19: Dariq Whitehead #0 of Montverde Academy is introduced during the City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 19, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Dariq Whitehead
6’5”, 190 lbs
Montverde Academy
Montverde, FL
#8 overall, #2 SF

Dariq Whitehead is unquestionably one of the best wings in the class of 2022, but he’s also one of the best all-around players regardless of position. He’s already garnered the attention of coaches and scouts during his time at Montverde Academy, despite only being a junior and playing with a ton of Division I talent around him.

He’s played alongside the likes of Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State), Scottie Barnes (Florida State) and Moses Moody (Arkansas), all top-50 prospects in the 247Sports Composite. More importantly, though, he’s a former teammate of incoming UNC freshman center Day’Ron Sharpe. Could that help the Tar Heels if they were to reach out to Whitehead and begin building a relationship? I don’t know, but it definitely couldn’t hurt. And if they could get a commitment from Whitehead in the process, it would be the crown jewel of their 2022 recruiting class, and a game-changing get for Roy Williams and company.

A 6-foot-5, 190-pound small forward, Whitehead has athleticism for days. And days. He’s a human highlight reel, and he’s shown that over and over in his short time at Montverde. And even though he’s one of the nation’s most acrobatic dunkers, that’s just one facet of his budding offensive game. He moves well with or without the ball in his hands, and he’s got a tremendous motor. He’s got an uncanny ability to adjust his shot in mid-air, and a soft touch that helps him in the mid-range. His jump shot has a smooth, high release that makes it difficult for defenders to block, and he’s just as likely to knock down a shot from beyond the arc as he is to throw down a powerful slam.

He’s got scholarship offers from Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Maryland, Memphis, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Texas and Texas A&M. But many more will come, and probably from most of college basketball’s perennial powers. Winning a commitment from Whitehead won’t be easy, but it’s definitely worth giving it a shot. He’s the type of player that would impact the Tar Heels with his play on the court, and with future recruits.

Home/UNC Basketball