Brooklyn Nets rookies Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead made their NBA debuts on Saturday during a 112-97 win over the Miami Heat. The pair of 19-year-olds — the second and third-youngest players in Nets history to appear in a game, trailing only Derrick Favors – received a loud ovation from the Barclays Center crowd when they checked in with 2:35 remaining.

Brooklyn selected Clowney, a 6-foot-10 power forward/center from Alabama, with the 21st pick in the 2023 draft. After a subpar showing at Summer League, the rookie was pleasantly surprised to receive such support from Nets fans.

“That was great. Because after Summer League, I don't think they was really rocking with me now,” Clowney said of his ovation. “But now? That was great. Great reactions. I was happy.”

Brooklyn selected Whitehead, the nation's second-ranked high school player in the Class of 2022, with the 22nd pick out of Duke. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard/small forward averaged 8.3 points per game on 43 percent shooting from three while battling a foot injury during his lone college season.

Whitehead's NBA debut carries extra meaning after a pair of surgeries sidetracked his freshman season and kept him from suiting up at Summer League.

“It means everything, honestly. I feel like a healthy Dariq Whitehead can be very special,” the Nets rookie said. “Just knowing that if I get my feet under me, get everything right in terms of the other problems that come with it — shin splints, and stuff like that — then I think I'll be 100% fine, ready to go.

“I’ve definitely been feeling great. The foot is no longer a problem; it's more so the other things when you're sitting out for seven months. Just being able to get over shin splints, calf pains, and stuff like that. So I'm kind of overcoming that progression right now.”

The New Jersey native made an immediate impact upon checking in, blocking a shot before driving and drawing a foul on the other end. He received a standing ovation from the Nets bench after making a free throw for the first point of his NBA career.

“I didn't expect it if I'm being honest,” Whitehead said of making his Nets debut. “Just coming in they told me to be ready, so before the game is when I really kind of got in that right mindset of this just might be your first NBA game. So going to the table it was a surreal moment, but it was definitely one of the best to ever happen.

“The only way is up. You gotta continue to progress; tonight probably was two minutes or something like that. Hopefully next game, it can be eight minutes, 10 minutes, just keep on progressing the minutes that I'm getting and show coach I should be out there on the floor eventually in the long run.”

The Nets are 7-8 on the season and will be right back in action Sunday against the slumping Chicago Bulls.