As a Marshall freshman Whiteside blocked 182 shots, a national freshman record, then went 33rd to Sacramento in 2010. When the Kings let him go he wandered through Lebanon, China and the D-League until Miami signed him in late 2014 and he became one of the league's great rim protectors, leading the NBA in blocks in 2016, rebounding in 2017, and blocks again in Portland. He closed his NBA run in Utah in 2021-22.
One of seven children raised by a single mother in Gastonia, North Carolina, he bounced through a string of high schools across two states chasing the game. He is still playing, now for the Shanghai Sharks in China.
HOW HE CAME & WENTAfter trading Derrick Favors, Utah signed him on August 6, 2021 for the veteran minimum to back up Rudy Gobert — arguably the most overqualified second-unit centre in the league. He said he chose the Jazz to win. The one-year deal expired and the club did not re-sign him.
No photograph of this signature is online yet.
| SEASON | TEAM | G | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | UTA | 65 | 17.9 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | .652 | — | .623 |
| JAZZ TOTAL | 1 SEASON | 65 | 17.9 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | .652 | — | .623 |
Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗ · Wikipedia ↗