See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.<\/p>\n
By Laura Amato<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Daily<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Nets added a bit of hometown flair to the roster on June 28, when the team formally introduced second-round draft pick and Brooklyn native Isaiah Whitehead with a ceremony in Coney Island. <\/p>\n
Surrounded by family, friends and a handful of fans, Whitehead held up his brand-new Brooklyn jersey, smiling as his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player came true. <\/p>\n
Whitehead grew up in Surfside Gardens, a mile from the Nets Boardwalk-adjacent team store. He’s had a few days to come to terms with being the 42nd overall pick in this year’s draft, but the former Lincoln standout had to admit it was all still a bit surreal. <\/p>\n
“It probably won’t sink in until I’m on the Barclays floor and looking around and seeing family and friends in the crowd,” he said. “When I know I’m in Brooklyn and playing, that’s probably when it’ll all sink in.”<\/p>\n
Whitehead will make his on-court debut with the team’s summer-league squad later this month, competing against other draft picks and players looking to sign as free agents. <\/p>\n
It will be the first true test for Whitehead, and one he’s anxious to pass. <\/p>\n
“I want to win,” he said. “I want to win every game with my teammates and really build that chemistry that we need for this season.” <\/p>\n
Whitehead played multiple positions in the backcourt during his two seasons at Seton Hall, but Brooklyn is focused on turning the former combo-guard into more of a pure point guard. In fact, it was Whitehead’s ball-handling ability that motivated the Nets to trade up for him in this year’s draft. <\/p>\n
“What really attracted me to him, personally, was his passing ability,” said first-year Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. “I was very impressed, especially in the pick and roll, how he can make different reads. We’re excited about that.”<\/p>\n
Atkinson also said he was impressed by a one-on-one discussion he had with Whitehead prior to the draft, listening to the first-team All-Big East player list off the aspects of his game he wanted to improve. <\/p>\n
“I was really surprised by — with the success he’s had at the college level and high school level — his humility,” Atkinson said. “He didn’t want to tell me how good he was — he wanted to tell me what he was working on. I loved that about him.”<\/p>\n
The organization has spent the better part of the last week hyping up Whitehead’s return to Brooklyn. He’s become the face of the future for borough pro basketball — a hometown hero ready to spark a young team. <\/p>\n
Whitehead isn’t letting any of that go to his head. He just wants to play to the best of his ability, and if he can do that while wearing a Brooklyn uniform, even better. <\/p>\n
“I mean, I’ve been hearing about pressure my whole life,” he said. “It’s just basketball. It’s about going out there and just playing and having fun. I believe if I do that, everything will work out for itself.”<\/p>\n
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