We've seen a lot of players come through our doors over the years, varying in appearance, skill level, and everything in between. We decided to put forth a 'Getting to Know' series on some players who have attended events but still remain on the lesser-known side of things. Each of these prospects embody being a student-athlete and getting it done in the classroom as well as on the basketball court, and today's edition will take a closer look at Fred Whitaker of Northwood High School.
We've seen Whitaker in every possible setting, including at Phenom 150 Camp, where we stated, 'Moving onto a player who continues to showcase a fairly dynamic identity on the court, Frederico Whitaker. He's a smart, quick, heady point guard prospect with excellent vision, toughness, and three-level scoring ability. Whitaker is a suffocating on-ball defender, and displays the ability to breakdown opponents and touch the paint at will. He thrives in transition but is more than capable of running a team in the half-court. Next in his development process is working to improve his rebounding presence, as it would allow him to grab boards and immediately push the break in transition. Coach Doughty on Whitaker: 'Fred is a star. He makes his presence felt. He's a scorer, passer, penetrator, finisher, shooter, and defender. He makes the team go. He has the ability to guard his man for the length of the court and shut him down. Fred can shoot it from deep, both off the dribble or as a spot-up threat. He's a terrific finisher in the lane with contact. Keep an eye on his progress.' Whitaker had another high-level showing at camp, and should be a major contributor for Northwood over the foreseeable future.'
Since then, Whitaker has only continued to further solidify himself as a scholarship-worthy prospect. As a sophomore for a loaded Northwood squad, he posted nightly averages of 13.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 3.1 SPG with 42/36/74 shooting splits. Whitaker is extremely quick and causes problems for opponents on both ends of the floor as a direct result. He's able to frequently blow by defenders, touch the paint, and make plays for himself and others, but also shoots the ball at a respectable percentage from distance or off the bounce. Whitaker is a pest at the point of attack defensively, able to utilize his sharp instincts to force a ton of turnovers and immediately push the break in transition. Whitaker is smart, tough, unselfish, and carries himself with poise on either side of the ball. He should only continue to trend upward going forward.