Isaiah Whitehead

McDonald’s All-American Recap: Whitehead is a rhythm scorer who needs touches to get himself going. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t get going in Chicago the way he normally does. He looked good from a physical standpoint, but he played off the ball and therefore didn’t get a chance to get in any sort of rhythm. He played only 9 minutes in the McDonald’s Game, and during practice Tyus Jones and D’Angelo Russell ran the point. Whitehead can get to the rim as consistently as any player in the class, but he didn’t get the chance playing in a controlled environment.

McDonald’s All-American Preview:

I first observed Whitehead three years ago as a rising sophomore.

A scoring point guard, he has an innate ability to get to the basket. He plays with a palpable chip on his shoulder—almost an angry mindset. Whitehead feels slighted and overlooked; he wasn’t ranked in the top-70 until the end of this past summer, but he gradually climbed up the rankings and into the McDonald’s game by going at top-ranked players and dominating. Now, ESPN has him in its Top-15.

When I first observed Whitehead, he got into a heated scoring battle against Archie Goodwin, scoring 36 points. Two summers ago, Whitehead faced Andrew Harrison, and once again he held his own. And this past summer, he won MVP of the Elite 24 game, giving Emmanuel Mudiay a run for his money.

Whitehead is one of the strongest drivers in the class. He has a chiseled physique and quick initial step to get in the lane and finish through contact. A recently improved jump shot has opened up driving lanes, making him even more dangerous off the dribble. He’s also improved his “point guard skills,” showing a commitment to reverse the ball and pick his spots more wisely. If he continues to showcase maturity and understanding of how to manage an offense, Whitehead should be make the full-time transition at Seton Hall.

That said, I have two serious concerns: 1) Whitehead is a below average athlete; 2) he has a propensity to commit turnovers.

Whitehead is not very explosive. I’m not sure he can score at the basket against better athletes at the next level. And with regards to his turnover habit, Isaiah is prone to coasting, becoming lackadaisical on his passes. He simply doesn’t value every possession right now.

An additional concern is that Isaiah releases the ball from his chin area when he shoots. This could be an issue down the road. If he can limit his turnovers, I think he’s better than Tyus Jones because of his physique and craftiness scoring the basketball. He has no friends or allegiances on the high school level, and Whitehead is coming to Chicago to make a statement. He tends to rise to the occasion.

HoopHall Classic 2014 (Springfield, MA): Whitehead got off to a rough start vs. Yates (TX), recording two points and six turnovers in the first half. In the second half, though, he controlled the tempo of the game, drove the lane with power and set up his teammates for open looks. He finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 9 turnovers. This was an uneventful game for Isaiah—considering the game was over by halftime—but his college-ready frame and scoring ability were still apparent.

Elite 24 Showcase 2013 (New York, NY)

Observation 1: Isaiah Whitehead can score with anybody in the country, and he can do it efficiently

When I first observed Whitehead two summers ago, he got into a heated scoring battle against Archie Goodwin. At the time, Whitehead was a skinny rising sophomore, and Goodwin was a rising senior ready to commit to Kentucky. Last summer, Whitehead got into a you-better-respect-me battle with Andrew Harrison, and once again he held his own.

It was evident back then, and it’s still the case today: Whitehead is the ultimate competitor, who, coming from the streets of Brooklyn, plays with an unmatched confidence. The problem for his opponents is that his skill set has finally caught up to his fearless attitude.

With good size and broad shoulders, Whitehead would always drive the lane and finish through contact. But this summer, Isaiah has improved two aspects of his game, to elevate to the next level: a consistent jumpshot and a willingness to move the ball.

Although his mechanics aren’t great (he releases the ball from his chin area), Whitehead has deep range on his shot, and he can score in bunches. Defenders now respect his jumpshot, which means he can dictate the one-on-one battle. Lanes are opening up, and he has the strength and finishing ability to take full advantage.

Whitehead always had the talent, but he would often take ill-advised shots and have tunnel vision with the basketball. This summer he’s found a comfortable balance, showing a willingness to reverse the ball and play within the offense, and then attack if an opportunity presents itself. And when he attacks, he can’t be stopped. He gets where he wants, and is strong enough to finish through any point guard in the country.

The scouting services may have him in the Top-50, but to me, he’s a top-20 prospect in the country.

Big Strick Classic 2013 (New York, NY): No matter who’s matched up against him, Isaiah will compete his butt off—we saw him battle with Archie Goodwin two summers ago, and Andrew Harrison last year.

This year it was more of the same, except Whitehead showcased something we hadn’t seen before: unlimited range on a smooth jumpshot. Whitehead took home the 3–point contest crown, and in Friday’s scrimmage he hit a few near-half-court contested jumpshots.

His shooting mechanics need work, as he releases the ball just above his chest, but his jumpshot has noticeably improved. He’s not quite a true point guard because his natural instinct is to score, but if he’s going to play at the next level it will be at PG. In order to make this transition, he’ll need to work on his passing, as he’s more of a scoring guard right now.

Whitehead is one of the best attackers in the class. He’s found a comfortable balance, showing a willingness to reverse the ball and play within the offense, and then attack if an opportunity presents itself. In my estimation, he’s the best guard in New York.