The Brooklyn Nets have seen a wide range of talent come through since their first season in New York City. A major turning point in the organization occurred in 2016 when GM Sean Marks took over. Marks has proven his worth by finding diamond-in-the-rough players for the Nets in the NBA Draft. However, not all talent has remained in Brooklyn long-term, as was the case for Seton Hall Basketball star and 2016 NBA Draft selectee Isaiah Whitehead.
The Nets drafted Whitehead with the 42nd pick in the second round of the 2016 draft. Scouts deemed him a promising prospect primarily for his scoring and defensive ability. He started his Seton Hall career averaging 12.0 points and 1.4 steals on a .34 percent three-point shooting clip. Whitehead saw a substantial improvement during his second year, ending the 2015-16 season with averages of 18.2 points, 1.4 blocks, 1.2 steals, and shot .36 percent from range.
After joining his hometown NBA team, Whitehead had an intriguing campaign. He appeared in 73 games with the Nets during the 2016-17 season, averaging 7.4 points per contest. Whitehead then spent most of his time with Brooklyn's G League affiliate Long Island Nets in 2017-18, amassing an average of 22.1 points per game. He had season-ending wrist surgery in April of 2018, ending his Nets tenure.
Nearly six years later, Isaiah Whitehead finds himself with a new opportunity. He has signed with Polish basketball club Slask Wroclaw, according to Alberto De Roa of Hoops Hype.
Isaiah Whitehead's journey holds significance for Nets in 2024
Whitehead was the type of talent that was worth the Nets taking a chance on in 2016. While things did not work out, he got the chance to show what he could do, and Brooklyn got to test out the services of a low-risk, high-reward player. That talent-testing mentality is resurfacing in 2024.
In addition to the young talent Brooklyn is already developing, they took a chance on rising prospects during the offseason such as Keon Johnson and Ziaire Williams. Johnson and Williams are both former 2021 first-round draft picks, but they are on team-friendly contracts. If the Nets can tap into their potential, it would be great for both sides.
Brooklyn is already seeing growth from Williams during his offseason workouts. It will only be a matter of time before the Nets' talent development efforts payoff amid their rebuild.