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One year ago, Cam Whitmore was considered a near lock to go in the top five of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Whitmore was one of the top-ranked high school players in the country and had committed to powerhouse Villanova.
He stuck with the Wildcats after Jay Wright’s retirement in order to play for first-year head coach Kyle Neptune.
But then things took a turn. Whitmore had to have surgery on his right thumb prior to his freshman season even starting. When he returned, he struggled to crack the starting lineup. One he did crack the starting lineup, his minutes and performances were inconsistent.
Whitmore finished the season 12.5 points per game on 34.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 5.3 rebounds. Villanova missed the NCAA Tournament altogether.
But Whitmore still declared for the NBA Draft and most believed he’d still be a top 10 pick. His physical tools were unmistakable and he’d shown extremely well while playing for USA Basketball’s U18 team just a year prior.
Then draft night came, and Whitmore sat…and sat.
Eventually, the Houston Rockets stopped his slide by selecting him with the 20th overall pick.
“I had no idea where I was going to go,” Whitmore said about his draft slide. “Every time they kept counting down, didn’t know where I was going. I was praying, talking to God the whole entire time, but it is what it is. I was just training in Houston, so I’m going to go back.
“I’ve been overlooked a lot of times in my life, so it didn’t really faze me. I’m just really happy to be in the NBA. I dreamed about that my whole life. I’m really grateful for my parents being there, friends, family — everybody’s here. Best day of my life, so this is really the start.”
Whitmore responded to his adversity in an impressive way. The 19-year-old averaged 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and three steals a night across five games in the Las Vegas Summer League. Those performances earned him MVP honors.
It sure looks like the Rockets may have had a future star fall right into their laps.