Isaiah Whaley

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Isaiah Whaley

| image = Isaiah Whaley @ BC Lokomotiv–Kuban (2024-12-08)-0.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Whaley playing for Lokomotiv Kuban in 2024

| position = Center

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 9

| weight_lb = 225

| league = VTB United League

| team = Lokomotiv Kuban

| number = 11

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|3|26}}

| birth_place = Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.

| high_school =

Ashbrook
(Gastonia, North Carolina)
Evelyn Mack Academy
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
Mt. Zion Prep
(Baltimore, Maryland)

| college = UConn (2017–2022)

| draft_year = 2022

| career_start = 2022

| years1 = 2022–2023

| team1 = Greensboro Swarm

| years2 = 2023

| team2 = Astros de Jalisco

| years3 = 2023–2024

| team3 = MLP Academics Heidelberg

| years4 = 2024–2025

| team4 = Lokomotiv Kuban

| highlights =

CIBACOPA champion (2023)
Big East co-Defensive Player of the Year (2021)

}}

Isaiah Whaley (born March 26, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the UConn Huskies.

High school career

Whaley was ruled ineligible for his freshman season after transferring to Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, North Carolina.{{cite web |last=Wertz |first=Langston Jr. |title=Ashbrook's Isaiah Whaley leading Green Wave to memorable season |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/high-school/article12855530.html |website=The Charlotte Observer |access-date=May 4, 2021 |date=March 6, 2015}} As a junior, he averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game, leading his team to the Class 3A state title game.{{cite web |last=Walker |first=Richard |title=Former Ashbrook standout Isaiah Whaley is ready for UConn |url=https://www.gastongazette.com/sports/20170602/former-ashbrook-standout-isaiah-whaley-is-ready-for-uconn |website=The Gaston Gazette |access-date=May 4, 2021 |date=June 2, 2017}} For his senior season, he moved to Evelyn Mack Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina. He played a postgraduate season at Mt. Zion Preparatory School in Baltimore, Maryland, averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks per game.{{cite web |last=Amore |first=Dom |title=UConn Receives Signed Letter From Recruit Isaiah Whaley |url=https://www.courant.com/sports/basketball/hc-uconn-men-isaiah-whaley-0519-20170518-story.html |website=Hartford Courant |access-date=May 4, 2021 |date=May 18, 2017}} A three-star recruit, Whaley committed to playing college basketball for UConn over offers from Providence, Seton Hall, Memphis and Georgia, among others.{{cite web |last=Kidwai |first=Aman |title=2017 F Isaiah Whaley Commits to UConn |url=https://n.rivals.com/news/2017-f-isaiah-whaley-commits-to-uconn |website=Rivals |access-date=May 4, 2021 |date=May 11, 2017}}

College career

As a freshman at UConn, Whaley averaged 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last=Amore |first=Dom |title=Isaiah Whaley's time finally arrives for UConn men |url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-men-sidebar-isaiah-whaley-20190315-20190315-xjr4cenkbfc7zmwyy3iwuxcfcu-story.html |website=Hartford Courant |access-date=May 5, 2021 |date=March 15, 2019}} He suffered an ankle injury prior to his sophomore season and received limited playing time that year.{{cite web |last=Amore |first=Dom |title=Isaiah Whaley bulking up to fight for meaningful minutes with UConn men |url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-men-isaiah-whaley-20190710-20190709-66uj4wmhavgyrlbqep2gm5aoau-story.html |website=Hartford Courant |access-date=May 5, 2021 |date=July 9, 2019}} As a junior, Whaley averaged six points, five rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.{{cite web |last=Carroll |first=Charlotte |title=UConn's Isaiah Whaley had to hit rock bottom to turn into the player he could be |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2314074/2021/01/11/isaiah-whaley-uconn-huskies-college-basketball/ |website=The Athletic |access-date=May 5, 2021 |date=January 11, 2021}} He averaged eight points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior, earning Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. Whaley opted to return to UConn for a fifth year.{{cite web |title=Senior Isaiah Whaley to return to UConn Huskies for another year |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31204531|website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=May 5, 2021 |date=April 6, 2021}} He was held out of a game against Michigan State on November 25, 2021, after fainting the previous day during a double-overtime win over Auburn.{{cite news |title=Isaiah Whaley sits out for No. 22 UConn Huskies after fainting at Atlantis |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/32713700 |access-date=November 25, 2021 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=November 25, 2021}}

Whaley was named to the American Athletic Conference's All-Academic Team for the 2018–19 season.{{cite web |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2019/7/12/numerous-huskies-named-to-american-all-academic-team |title=Numerous Huskies Named To American All-Academic Team |author= |date=12 July 2019 |website=UConnHuskies.com |publisher=University of Connecticut |access-date=13 April 2022}} He received his Bachelor's degree in Urban and Community Studies in May 2021 and pursued graduate studies during the 2021–22 academic year.{{cite web |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/isaiah-whaley/11750 |title=Isaiah Whaley |author= |website=UConnHuskies.com |publisher=University of Connecticut |access-date=13 April 2022 |quote=Graduate Student...Graduated in May, 2021, with a degree in Urban and Community Studies}}

Professional career

=Greensboro Swarm (2022–2023)=

Whaley signed with the Charlotte Hornets on June 24, 2022, on an Exhibit 10 contract. On October 6, 2022, he was waived by the Hornets.{{cite web|title=Hornets Waive Isaiah Whaley|url=https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/hornets-waive-isaiah-whaley|website=NBA.com|date=October 6, 2022|access-date=October 7, 2022}} On October 23, it was announced that he had been added to the training camp roster of the Greensboro Swarm. On November 4, 2022, he was named to the opening-night roster for the Swarm.{{cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/greensboro-swarm-announce-2022-23-opening-night-roster/n-5895692|title=Greensboro Swarm Announce 2022–23 Opening Night Roster|website=oursportscentral.com|date=November 4, 2022|access-date=November 4, 2022}}

=Astros de Jalisco (2023–2023)=

On April 25, 2023, Whaley signed with the Astros de Jalisco of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional and the Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico (CIBACOPA).{{cite web |date=April 25, 2023 |title=Astros de Jalisco incorpora a Isaiah Whaley a su roster para la CIBACOPA |url=https://www.milenio.com/deportes/basquetbol/isaiah-whaley-refuerza-a-astros-de-jalisco |access-date=April 26, 2023 |website=Milenio.com |language=es}} He helped them win the 2023 CIBACOPA league title.{{cite news|url=https://www.telediario.mx/deportes/basquetbol/astros-jalisco-gana-rayos-bicampeon-cibacopa|title=Astros de Jalisco derrota a Rayos de Hermosillo y es bicampeón de Cibacopa 2023|work=Telediario.mx|first=Vanessa|last=Flores|date=June 26, 2023|access-date=July 4, 2023|language=es}}

=MLP Academics Heidelberg (2023–2024)=

Whaley played for the Academics in the 2023–2024 season. He was the team's starting center and posted per-game averages of 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.3 steals. He shot 33% from 3-point range, 57.3% on 2-point attempts, and 67.5% from the free throw line.{{cite web | url=https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Isaiah-Whaley/429008 | title=Isaiah Whaley, Basketball Player, News, Stats – Eurobasket }}

In July 2024, Whaley joined the Dallas Mavericks for the 2024 NBA Summer League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2024/vegas/team/1610612742/mavericks|title=Summer League Roster | NBA.com|website=www.nba.com}}