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Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore has had himself a tremendous showing at the 2023 NBA Summer League. Although he and the Rockets came up short in the championship game, the rookie earned himself the Summer League MVP award.
Cam Whitmore was one of the more highly sought prospects coming into the 2023 NBA Draft. After a tremendous high school career which was followed by an MVP-worthy performance at the FIBA U-18 Americas Championship, Whitmore played college ball at Villanova.
He missed some time early on due to a thumb injury. However, the forward still showed a lot of promise as he closed out the season with an average of 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He immediately declared for the draft after the season.
While many expected him to be a top 10 pick, Whitmore dropped way below and eventually ended up as the No. 20 pick by the Houston Rockets. Needless to say, the 19-year old suddenly had a chip on his shoulder.
The Rockets definitely got a steal in Whitmore. After drafting Amen Thompson with the No. 4 pick, getting a top 10-caliber player is nothing short of a dream.
However, this also gave Houston something to use as fuel to help Whitmore display his talents.
From his first game in Summer League, Whitmore has been hustling hard. In his Summer League games, Whitmore notched 19.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in 31 minutes per game.
While also considering the results he brought for the Rockets without Amen Thompson, they may also garner MVP nods.
Cam Whitmore was eventually contained in the championship game as he notched only 14 points on 6-17 shooting. While he was still amongst the top scorers for his team, the Rockets were simply outclassed by Isaiah Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the end.
Read: Who have been the MVPs of the Summer League? All you need to know
The future looks bright for Cam Whitmore
Cam Whitmore will undoubtedly be a valuable element in the Houston Rockets lineup in the upcoming season. Although he may not see a starting role right off the bat, Whitmore can certainly aspire to it.
The Rockets have made some major additions to their team this season. The arrival of Fred VanVleet certainly bolsters their backcourt. Meanwhile, the development of Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun provides more promise to their starting frontcourt.
As things stand, Whitmore shows potential as a solid scoring punch against second units off the bench. With room to grow as a wing player in the NBA, the 19-year-old will have a lot of opportunities to prove himself in the NBA.
