Outlook

Jalen Whitehead is a long, athletic post … Runs the floor well and has a nice touch around the basket … Good motor for rebounding … Should affect players with his shot blocking ability around the basket.

Sophomore Year 2020-21

Selected NJCAA D-II All-America third-team ... Earned All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference D-II first-team and All-Region VI D-II/Plains District first-team … Played and started all 22 games … Became just the 10^th player all-time and first since 2001-02 to average double figures in points (14.0) and rebounds (11.4) … Scored in double figures in 15 games, had 16 games with 10+ rebounds and had 13 total double-doubles … His 16 games of 10+ rebounds tied for fourth on JCCC's season chart, and his 13 double-doubles rank tied for fifth ... Led the Cavaliers in scoring in six games, rebounds in 18 games and blocks in 10 games ...  Led the KJCCC in total rebounds (250) and rebound average … Ranked third and sixth respectively in the NJCAA … Also ranked second in the conference and 11th in the NJCAA with 35 blocked shots … Shot 55.3 percent from the floor, which was  fourth-best in the conference and 35^th in the NJCAA … Opened the season with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds in a loss to John Wood (1-30-21) … Followed with a career-best game of 36 points and 19 rebounds in a 99-63 win over Ottawa (2-2-21) … His 36 points tie the 21^st game in team history, and his 19 boards tie the seventh-best single game … Was the week 7 KJCCC D-II Player of the Week after averaging a double-double of 16.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in three victories that week .. Opened the week with 20 points and 14 rebounds in a 97-85 win over Southeast (3-1-21) … Followed with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds  in an 88-76 road win against Fort Scott (3-3-21), and capped the week with nine points, 12 rebounds and two blocks in a 66-57 victory at Hesston (3-6-21) … Was the week 11 KJCCC D-II Player of the Week after posting 18 points and 13 boards in the Cavaliers final regular season game, a 73-66 loss at Labette (3-31-21) …  Tallied 21 points and eight boards in an 84-78 win over the Greyhounds in the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament (4-7-21) … Had a game-high 10 rebounds along with seven points and two blocks in a 57-47 loss to Mott in the first round of the NJCAA D-II National Tournament (4-20-21) … Led JCCC with 23 points and eight rebounds in a 90-81 loss to Southeast in the consolation bracket (4-22-21) … His 23 points tie the fifth-best game recorded by a JCCC player in national tournament play, and his 15.0 points per game average ties for 13^th … His 10 rebounds against Mott tie the 10^th-best game by a JCCC player at nationals, and his 18 total rebounds and 9.0 game average rank 14th and fourth in team history.

Freshman Year 2019-20

Played his freshman season for coach Jerrod Stanford at Labette Community College, Parsons, Kan. … Played in 20 games, eight as a starter, while helping Labette to a 17-13 mark … Averaged 8.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 0.3 steals for the Cardinals … His 6.5 rebounds average ranked 10^th in the conference … Shot an impressive 55.6 percent from the field, hitting 75-of-135 shot attempts, which ranked as the fourth-best percentage in the conference … Scored in double figures eight times, and topped double digits in rebounds four times … Also had four double-doubles … Was out of the line-up the first 10 games of the season … Posted a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in his collegiate debut, helping Labette to an 87-62 win at Missouri Southern State JV (12-4-19) … Was 8-of-14 from the field … Followed with six points and nine boards in a 98-84 win Rhema Bible (12-5-18) … Nailed 8-of-9 shots with two free throws for 18 points and grabbed a season high 13 rebounds in a 126-49 blowout over Ottawa JV (12-10-19) … Finished with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting, and grabbed 10 rebounds for this third double-double, helping the Cardinals to a 105-53 win over Kansas Christian JV (1-16-20) … Posted his fourth double-double of the year with a career high 20 points and 12 boards in a 79-72 loss at Johnson County (1-29-20) … Tallied 10 points and six rebounds in a 93-53 win over Hesston (2-5-20) … Registered nine points and eight rebounds in an 82-59 win at Highland (2-12-20) … Reached double figures scoring for the final time on the season with 11 in an 80-73 win over Hesston (2-22-20). 

High School

Started his senior year for coach Larry Thompson at Wheeler High School, Marietta, Ga. … Graduated 2019 … Helped the Wildcats to a 17-12 mark … His freshmen through junior years attended Ottawa Hills High School, Grand Rapids, Mich. …  Played club basketball for the Grand Rapids Storm … National Honor Society member. 

Personal

Born Jaland J. Whitehead on January 4, 2001, in Grand Rapids, Mich. … Nicknames are J-Wiz and Wiz … Son of Ken champion and Renee Whitehead … Has five siblings, Marion, Marquiese, Jaawaan, Ken and Kanye … Major is undecided … Favorite food is tacos … Favorite fast food restaurant is Twisted Fresh … Favorite TV shows are Drake and Josh and The Flash … Favorite movie is Money Talks … Favorite sports movie is Above the Rim … Favorite actor is Dylan O’Brien … Favorite book is Divergent … Favorite music entertainer is NBA Youngboy … Favorite cartoon character is Courage the Cowardly Dog … Favorite athletes are Jason Tatum and LeBron James … Favorite sports team is the Boston Celtics … Greatest sports moment was dunking over a four-star rated center in a game … Best player he has played against is Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards …  Notable alumni from Wheeler are former NBA forward and 2000 Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. national basketball team Sahreef Abdur-Rahim, NBA guard Jaylen Brown, former MLB outfielder Shane Monahan and PGA golfer Bob Tway.