Isaiah Whitehead (born March 8, 1995) is an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player for King Szczecin of the

Polish Basketball League Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK) (English language, English: Polish Basketball League), officially known as the Orlen Basket Liga due to its sponsorship by Orlen, is a professional men's club basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Poland. I ...

(PLK). He played college basketball for

Seton Hall Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...

. He played for the

Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...

of the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

in 2016–18.

High school career

Whitehead rose to prominence playing for Abraham Lincoln High School, and was a highly touted recruit coming into college. Whitehead played at the 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, the 2014

Jordan Brand Classic The Jordan Brand Classic is a high school all star basketball game played annually in April. The game's rosters feature the best and most highly recruited high school boys and girls in the senior class. In 2015, a girl's game was introduced. Th ...

, and many other prestigious tournaments in high school. He was labeled a five-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, being named Mr. New York Basketball, the recipient of the 2014 PSAL Wingate Award, Co-Most Valuable Player in the 2013 Under Armour Elite 24 game, and the highest-rated New York City recruit since 2009.

College career

Whitehead was named preseason Big East Rookie of the Year and made the All-Rookie Team as a freshman. He was twice selected as Rookie of the Week on December 8 and December 15. He missed nine games during the season due to a stress fracture in his right foot. At the conclusion of the 2015–16 regular season, Whitehead was unanimously selected to the All-Big East first team. He also received the

Haggerty Award __NOTOC__ The Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award is given to the top men's college basketball player from an NCAA Division I school in the New York metropolitan area. The Haggerty Award is presented by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MB ...

, given to the New York area's top men's Division I basketball player. Whitehead led Seton Hall to their first Big East Championship in 23 years. The Pirates took down Creighton, Xavier and Villanova in the final. Whitehead was awarded with the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Next, the Hall earned their first NCAA berth in 10 years. Seton Hall was defeated by the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first round in Denver. In March 2016, Whitehead declared for the

NBA draft The NBA draft is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) annual event, dating back to 1947 BAA draft, 1947, in which the teams in the league can Draft (sports), draft players who declare for the draft and that are Eligibility for the NBA dr ...

, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility.

Professional career

Brooklyn Nets (2016–2018)

On June 23, 2016, Whitehead was selected by the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...

with the 42nd overall pick in the

2016 NBA draft The 2016 NBA draft was held on June 23, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was televised nationally in the U.S. by ESPN, and was live streamed for the first time in NBA draft history by The Vertical. National Basketball Association (NBA) ...

. He was later traded to his hometown team the

the following day. On July 8, 2016, he signed with the Nets and joined the team for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On January 6, 2017, Whitehead recorded his first career

double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the ter ...

with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 116–108 loss to the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

. On March 10, 2017, he scored a career-high 24 points in a 105–96 loss to the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

. On April 8, 2017, with one block against the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

, Whitehead tied an all-time team record by a guard in a single-season with 36, set by Darwin Cook during the 1980–81 season. On November 27, 2017, Whitehead tied his career high with 24 points while shooting 10 of 16 from the field in a 117–103 loss to the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

. During the 2017–18 season, he was assigned multiple times to the

Long Island Nets The Long Island Nets are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Uniondale, New York, and are affiliated with the Brooklyn Nets. The team plays its home games at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Nassau County ...

of the

NBA G League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is a professional basketball league in North America that serves as the Minor league#Basketball, developmental league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of ...

. He was traded to the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

and later waived. In 30 games of the 2017–18 NBA G League season, Whitehead averaged 22.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 3.6 APG in 28.7 minutes per game.

Lokomotiv Kuban (2018–2019)

Whitehead signed with the Russian team Lokomotiv Kuban on August 6, 2018. He averaged 11.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting 82% from the free throw line. On January 7, 2019, Whitehead agreed to part ways with Lokomotiv.

Grand Rapids Drive (2019)

On January 15, 2019, Whitehead signed with the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

on a two-way contract. He did not end up appearing in any games for the Pistons. In four games of the 2018–19 NBA G League season, Whitehead has averaged 19.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 6.3 APG in 33.8 minutes per game. On June 23, 2019, the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...

signed Whitehead to their Summer League roster.

BC Astana (2019)

On October 10, 2019, Whitehead signed with

BC Astana Astana Basketball Club (), commonly referred to as BC Astana, is a Kazakh professional basketball club that is based in Astana, Kazakhstan. Founded in 2011, it has competed in the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship and the VTB United League sinc ...

of the Kazakhstan Championship. In five games, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Mornar Bar (2020–2021)

On January 25, 2020, Whitehead signed with Mornar Bar of the

ABA League The ABA League, renamed the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the top-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedoni ...

and Montenegrin League. He played five games before the season was suspended, scoring 24 points in his only Champions League appearance. On April 29, he extended his contract with the team.

Beşiktaş (2021–2022)

On August 27, 2021, Whitehead signed with Beşiktaş Icrypex of the

Basketball Super League Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

. He averaged 11.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

Riesen Ludwigsburg (2022–2023)

On September 23, 2022, he has signed with

Riesen Ludwigsburg BG Ludwigsburg, for sponsorship reasons MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg (), is a professional basketball club that is based in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The club currently plays in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the first tier of basketball in Germany. Fou ...

of the

Basketball Bundesliga The Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) (English language: ''Federal Basketball League''), for sponsorship reasons named easyCredit BBL, is the German basketball league system, highest level Sports league, league of professional club basketball in German ...

. Whitehead and Ludwigsburg parted ways on January 15, 2023, the contract was mutually cancelled.

Beşiktaş (2023)

On January 17, 2023, he signed with Beşiktaş Emlakjet of the

Basketbol Süper Ligi The Basketball Super League (; TBSL), also known as the Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi for sponsorship reasons, is the top men's professional basketball division of the Turkish basketball league system. It replaced the former Turkish Bas ...

(BSL).

Ironi Ness Ziona (2023–2024)

On August 22, 2023, he signed with Ironi Ness Ziona of the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl (, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is a professional basketball league in Israel and the highest level of basketball in the country. The league's name is abbreviated as either BSL ...

Śląsk Wrocław (2024)

On August 1, 2024, he signed with

Śląsk Wrocław Wrocławski Klub Sportowy Śląsk Wrocław Spółka Akcyjna, commonly known as WKS Śląsk Wrocław (), is a Polish professional Association football, football club based in Wrocław that plays in , the second level of the Polish football leagu ...

of the

(PLK).

King Szczecin (2024–present)

On November 6, 2024, he signed with King Szczecin of the

(PLK).

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, 73 , , 26 , , 22.5 , , .402 , , .295 , , .805 , , 2.5 , , 2.6 , , .6 , , .5 , , 7.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 16 , , 0 , , 11.3 , , .465 , , .389 , , .684 , , 1.6 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , .1 , , 6.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 89 , , 26 , , 20.5 , , .411 , , .305 , , .788 , , 2.4 , , 2.4 , , .6 , , .4 , , 7.2

References

External links

Seton Hall Pirates bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead, Isaiah 1995 births Living people 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn) alumni American expatriate basketball people in Kazakhstan American expatriate basketball people in Montenegro American expatriate basketball people in Russia American men's basketball players Basketball players from Brooklyn BC Astana players Beşiktaş men's basketball players Brooklyn Nets players Grand Rapids Drive players KK Mornar Bar players Long Island Nets players McDonald's High School All-Americans Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) PBC Lokomotiv-Kuban players Riesen Ludwigsburg players Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball players Shooting guards Śląsk Wrocław basketball players Utah Jazz draft picks Wilki Morskie Szczecin players