Toronto Raptors draft: 3 ACC prospects for Masai Ujiri to consider

1. Dariq Whitehead, SF, Duke

Like Arkansas’ Nick Smith, whom many mock drafters believe is on his way to Toronto, Whitehead’s production during his lone season at Duke was disappointing. After being moved to the bench, he went from a potential top pick to a fringe lottery target in the Raptors’ range.

Whitehead’s 3-point shooting came alive at the end of the season, and it is so exceptional that it is not unreasonable to project that he will be a 40% shooter from deep in the pros. This will allow Whitehead to work his way into a very defined role as a rookie.

The Toronto Raptors draft plans must include Dariq Whitehead.

What will really make Whitehead such an intriguing player for Toronto is his exceptional defense. He has no qualms with guarding anywhere from point guard to small forward at an above-average level. Even with Nick Nurse gone, skills like that will likely be catnip for a length-obsessed GM like Ujiri.

Whitehead is another bet on development and traits, but the Raptors have had so much success with that over the years that the front office is likely not going to switch things up now. If he clicks, it is not unfair to say that he could be an All-Star performer in the league quite regularly.