Cam Whitmore
{{short description|American basketball player (born 2004)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Cam Whitmore
| image = Cam Whitmore.png
| image_size =
| caption = Whitmore with Villanova in 2023
| position = Small forward
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 230
| league = NBA
| team = Houston Rockets
| number = 7
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|7|8}}
| birth_place = Odenton, Maryland, U.S.
| high_school = Archbishop Spalding
(Severn, Maryland)
| college = Villanova (2022–2023)
| draft_year = 2023
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 20
| draft_team = Houston Rockets
| career_start = 2023
| years1 = {{nbay|2023|start}}–present
| team1 = Houston Rockets
| team2 = →Rio Grande Valley Vipers
| highlights =
- Big East Freshman of the Year (2023)
- McDonald's All-American (2022)
- Jordan Brand Classic (2022)
- Nike Hoop Summit (2022)
- FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship MVP (2022)
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{bk|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Mexico|Team}}
}}
Cameron Whitmore (born July 8, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class.
High school career
Whitmore attended Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland. As a senior, he was the Capital Gazette boys basketball player of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/high-school/ac-cs-cam-whitmore-anne-arundel-2022-boys-basketball-all-county-20220409-7iydoeszgjdjdjnmg2mynsxx3m-story.html |title=Archbishop Spalding's Cam Whitmore caps decorated career as 2021–22 Capital Gazette boys basketball Player of Year – Capital Gazette |publisher=Capitalgazette.com |date= |accessdate=2022-07-24}} He was selected to play in the 2022 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-sp-va-cam-whitmore-spalding-mcdonalds-all-american-game-20220125-uk25cz75e5e5ndcti2gm6nzqae-story.html |title=Spalding boys basketball star Cam Whitmore selected to play in McDonald's All American game – Baltimore Sun |publisher=Baltimoresun.com |date= |accessdate=2022-07-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/high-school/bs-sp-va-cam-whitmore-mcdonalds-game-20220330-ylgqaemxfjholdbmjkabvdg52u-story.html |title=Archbishop Spalding's Cam Whitmore has 19 points, including monstrous dunk, in East win in McDonald's basketball game – Baltimore Sun |publisher=Baltimoresun.com |date= |accessdate=2022-07-24}} He played in the 2022 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship, where he was named MVP.{{cite web|last=Aiello |first=Thomas |url=https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/cam-whitmore-dominates-at-fiba-u18-for-team-usa/ |title=Cam Whitmore Dominates for Team USA at FIBA U18 | SLAM |publisher=Slamonline.com |date=2022-06-13 |accessdate=2022-07-24}}
=Recruiting=
Whitmore was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class, according to major recruiting services. On October 7, 2021, he committed to playing college basketball for Villanova over offers from Illinois and North Carolina.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/10/07/cam-whitmore-spaldings-five-star-basketball-prospect-commits-villanova/ |title=Cam Whitmore, Spalding's five-star basketball prospect, commits to Villanova |date=2021-10-08 |author1=Kyle Melnick |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}{{cite web | url=https://www.mdjonline.com/fieldlevel/five-star-f-cam-whitmore-commits-to-villanova/article_f07d4dea-8643-5bc6-a2e2-223a46dfd209.html | title=Five-star F Cam Whitmore commits to Villanova }}{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/32356213/top-40-recruit-cameron-whitmore-verbally-commits-villanova-wildcats | title=Top-40 recruit Whitmore commits to Villanova | date=7 October 2021 }}
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|40=no|collapse=no|year=2022}}
{{College Athlete Recruit Entry
| recruit = Cam Whitmore
| position = SF
| hometown = Odenton, MD
| highschool = Archbishop Spalding (MD)
| feet = 6
| inches = 7
| weight = 220
| 40 =
| commitdate = October 7, 2021
| scout stars =
| rivals stars = 5
| 247 stars = 5
| espn stars = 5
| espn grade = 90
}}
{{College Athlete Recruit End
| 40 =
| year = 2022
| rivals ref title = Villanova 2022 Basketball Commitments
| scout ref title =
| espn ref title = 2022 Villanova Wildcats Recruiting Class
| rivals school = villanova
| scout s =
| espn schoolid = 222
| 247 overall = 11
| rivals overall = 10
| espn overall = 22
| accessdate = November 20, 2022
| bball = yes
}}
College career
After missing seven games with a thumb injury, Whitmore made his collegiate debut versus Oklahoma. In his first season with Villanova, Whitmore averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. At the conclusion of his freshman year, Whitmore was named the Big East Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year. He later declared for the 2023 NBA draft becoming Villanova's first true one-and-done since Tim Thomas in 1997.{{cite web |last1=Rapay |first1=Eugene |title=Villanova’s Cam Whitmore declares for 2023 NBA Draft |url=https://www.vuhoops.com/villanova-basketball/2023/4/12/23679878/villanova-wildcats-cam-whitmore-declares-for-2023-nba-draft |website=vuhoops.com}}
Professional career
=Houston Rockets / Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2023–present)=
Before the draft, Whitmore was widely regarded to be a lottery pick with some projections placing him as high as fourth overall.{{Cite news |title=NBA Draft Scouting Report: Villanova's Cam Whitmore |language=en |work=NBA Draft Digest – Latest Draft News and Prospect Rankings |url=https://www.si.com/nba/draft/prospect-profiles/nba-draft-scouting-report-villanovas-cam-whitmore#gid=ci02aab918300024b5&pid=usatsi_19689358 |access-date=2023-09-22}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-01 |title=NBA mock draft: Wembanyama easy No. 1; AP has Miller second, Henderson third |url=https://apnews.com/article/nba-mock-draft-wembanyama-c9dfd3d19592e1de44f5957ea2aa8b48 |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Villanova's Cam Whitmore falls to No. 20 pick in NBA draft after lottery projection |url=https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-whitmore-rockets-04c03e38b5c3ee17da61c61073466dd7 |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hryn |first=Derek |date=2023-06-22 |title=2023 NBA Draft scouting report for Villanova F Cam Whitmore |url=https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2023/6/22/23736125/cam-whitmore-nba-draft-2023-scouting-report-strengths-weaknesses-player-comparison-stock-grade |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=DraftKings Network |language=en}} The Houston Rockets selected Whitmore with the twentieth overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.{{cite web|url=https://clutchpoints.com/cam-whitmore-meet-rockets-no-20-pick-2023-nba-draft|title=Cam Whitmore: Meet the Rockets’ No. 20 pick in 2023 NBA Draft|last=Siegel|first=Brett|website=ClutchPoints|date=June 22, 2023|access-date=June 24, 2023}} On October 26, 2023, he made his NBA debut in a 116–86 loss to the Orlando Magic{{Cite web |title=Rockets 86–116 Magic (Oct 25, 2023) Box Score |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401584694 |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=ESPN |language=en}} and made his first NBA start on January 21, 2024, in a home loss to the Boston Celtics.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-21 |title=Rockets' Cam Whitmore: Will make first career start |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/rockets-cam-whitmore-will-make-first-career-start/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Cam Whitmore {{!}} Houston Rockets |url=https://www.nba.com/player/1641715/cam-whitmore/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}} On January 26, 2024, Whitmore recorded his first career double-double and his then-career high, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists on 50% shooting (44% from three) in a 138–104 win over the Charlotte Hornets.{{Cite web |title=Cam Whitmore {{!}} Houston Rockets |url=https://www.nba.com/player/1641715/cam-whitmore/ |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Most Double Doubles By Rookies In The NBA This Season |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/most-double-doubles-by-rookies-in-the-nba-this-season |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Jalen Green scores 36 points to help Rockets rout Hornets 138–104 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/jalen-green-scores-36-points-rockets-rout-hornets-106727559 |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=ABC News |language=en}} Whitmore led the NBA in points per touch and averaged 23.7 points per 36 minutes in his rookie season.{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Michael |title=‘Can't get me nowhere’: Rockets star bristles at lack of minutes |url=https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/cam-whitmore-postgame-video-mavericks-20011734.php |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=Chron |date=2 Jan 2025 |language=en}}
In his second season, Whitmore's playing time decreased with Tari Eason returning from injury. He had several assignments with Rio Grande Valley.{{cite news |last1=Lerner |first1=Danielle |title=Cam Whitmore wants to play his way back into the Rockets rotation. 'I'm gonna keep grinding' |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/cam-whitmore-minutes-stats-19992681.php |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=20 December 2024}} On April 11, 2025, Whitmore scored a career-high 34 points in a 140–109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.{{cite news |title=Lakers 140-109 Rockets (Apr 11, 2025) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401705751 |access-date=April 12, 2025 |work=ESPN |date=April 11, 2025 |language=en}}
Player profile
Standing at 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, Whitmore plays at the small forward position. At the 2023 NBA Combine, Whitmore finished third in max vertical leap (40.5 inches). Scouts viewed Whitmore as a versatile wing with tremendous upside and athleticism. Offensively, he can effectively use a range of dribble moves to score in transition against similarly sized defenders.{{Cite web |title=Cam Whitmore |url=https://www.nbadraft.net/players/cam-whitmore/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=NBADraft.net |language=en-US}} Coming into the league, commentators noted his half-court scoring, vision, and IQ as weaknesses. He has been compared to Jae Crowder and Caron Butler.
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=NBA=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2023}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 47 || 2 || 18.7 || .454 || .359 || .679 || 3.8 || .7 || .6 || .4 || 12.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2024}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 50 || 3 || 16.2 || .443 || .348 || .743 || 3.0 || 1.0 || .6 || .3 || 9.3
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 97 || 5 || 17.4 || .449 || .355 || .703 || 3.4 || .8 || .6 || .3 || 10.8
{{s-end}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"| Villanova
| 26 || 20 || 27.4 || .478 || .343 || .703 || 5.3 || .7 || 1.4 || .3 || 12.5
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 26 || 20 || 27.4 || .478 || .343 || .703 || 5.3 || .7 || 1.4 || .3 || 12.5
{{S-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://villanova.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/cam-whitmore/13053 Villanova Wildcats bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20220706142021/https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/mens/w/whitmore-cam.aspx USA Basketball bio]
{{Houston Rockets current roster}}
{{2023 NBA draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitmore, Cam}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Maryland
Category:Houston Rockets draft picks
Category:Houston Rockets players
Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans
Category:People from Odenton, Maryland
Category:Rio Grande Valley Vipers players