Houston Rockets Diamond in the Rough Cam Whitmore: From Draft Drop to Summer League Explode

Cam Whitmore I hoped that his night 2023 NBA Draft it was an unforgettable And, for all that, it was. Dressed in his finery and surrounded by family and friends, the Villanovan-raised player was certain to be selected in the top ten and, worst case scenario, lottery picks. Soon the names began to follow each other, but from his mouth Adam Silver his didn’t finish coming out. so up to 19 times until well after the evening began Whitmore took the stage to shake hands with the Commissioner. The joy was measured because he thought he had been disrespected.

Considered one of the best players in his class, which Juan Estévez of the Sporting News had him ranked No. 5, Cam Whitmore tumbled down the Draft board just hours before kickoff. The reasons? The insight offered in workouts, interviews and the data received during the Combine convinced many franchises to take the risk. Not so with the Rockets.

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Houston has been characterized in recent years for consistently betting on elements with which the rest have some doubts. When you have as many draft picks as the Rockets have, you have to take chances, and Whitmore, over time, could become a big hit for the Texans franchise. Something he is already trying to demonstrate in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he has taken over the reins of the team after the loss of Jabari Smith Jr.

Whitmore has been as consistent as you would expect for a rookie in this tournament. From the 14 points he added in his debut against the Blazers to the 25 he put up against Houston in the Summer League final. Utah Jazz. The #20 of the last Draft is steadily marching towards the title for the Rockets and, incidentally, to qualify for the MVP of the tournament, an award with which he will send a message to the rest of the franchises who passed him.

“Trying to feel comfortable with my peers, trying to learn about myself”Whitmore said in statements obtained by the Houston Chronicle. “I’m very hard on myself, even during the game or training. It’s something I have to improve every day: my game in general, my decision-making, my handling, my shooting. I have to keep working, improving my skills. Make some minor adjustments.”

In fact, the performance of the 19-year-old forward in general places him as one of the most strengthened names to come out of Las Vegas. With Averaged 20.4 points thanks to 46.5% shooting from the field and 29.3% shooting from threeWhitmore vindicated himself in short order.

A performance that already seems to conquer even his teammates and technicians.

“He has a really unique game, he plays really hard. He’s young and really explosive.”Jabari Smith Jr. said. “He’s young and he’s figuring it all out. He’s going to have some bad moments. But overall, I really like what I’ve seen.” added Ben Sullivan, the Rockets’ Summer League coach.

With the Summer League final scheduled for it Monday July 17, Cam Whitmore has the perfect opportunity to send a message to the rest of the NBA before he goes on vacation and looks back on his first season.

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.