2023 NBA Draft: Evaluating Villanova’s Cam Whitmore
Cam Whitmore is a projected top ten pick in the 2023 NBA draft. What makes him so exciting is his NBA ready frame, all-around athleticism, and talent he possesses. Let’s dive into what makes Whitmore such a unique prospect.
Elite Finishing Ability
Whitmore is one of the best finishers in the entire draft due to his ability to finish through contact, finish above the rim, and flashes of craftiness. The Villanova forward has one of the highest verticals in the draft despite his strong, 235 pound frame. The athletic forward is much better jumping off of two feet rather than one.
What makes him unique is that he has great burst and a quick first step to blow-by defenders and get to the rim. The flashes of ball-handling skills makes super intriguing as a secondary creator. This is easily the most NBA-ready skill for Whitmore as he’ll almost certainly always be a very efficient finisher around the rim. Outside of elite rim finishing, it’s all just flashes for Whitmore so he may be a bit of a bigger project than what some might anticipate.
Shot-making Flashes
Whitmore has ways to go to be a consistent creator and second option for a team but the flashes he shows off the dribble are so enticing and easy to fall in love with. The 6-foot-7 forward has the ability to make tough pull-up jumpers from the outside. Whitmore loves going to his step-back jumper. The combination of his frame, athleticism, and shot-making flashes is why some compare him to Timberwolves guard, Anthony Edwards.
Again, the shot-making is just flashes right now as he’s not nearly consistent enough to be deemed a second scoring option for a team. He doesn’t necessarily come across as a three level scorer either due to his reluctance to attempt jumpers from the mid-range. If Whitmore is able to turn these shot-making flashes into a real thing, he has star written all over him.
Defensive Tools
Whitmore has really good tools to work with on the defensive end and has promise to be a two-way player if he reaches his ceiling but again, his defense is just flashes right now. At 6-foot-7, the athletic forward has the versatility to defend two through four effectively due to his lateral quickness and pure strength. The high upside talent does a very good job of battling down in the post and clearly isn’t afraid of contact.
The physical forward absolutely loves to rebound and is often seen fighting on the offensive and defensive glass. The off-ball awareness and team defense must improve as Whitmore is often lost on where to be. This’ll take time for him to be a consistent defender but the tools and upside are there for him to take.
Area Of Improvement
Whitmore’s biggest concern is the lack of playmaking ability. There are some reasonable concerns about his feel for the game as sometimes the game just moves way too fast for him on both ends of the floor and that’s a bit concerning as that could very much hender his development. The athletic forward averaged over twice the turnovers as he did assists which would be one of the worst assist to turnover ratios drafted in the top ten in recent memory.
The Villanova product doesn’t have good court vision and is very tunnel visioned. He’ll need to cut down on turnovers and be more willing to get his teammates involved at the next level if he wants consistent minutes early on in his career. This is a major red flag for a lot of evaluators but there’s a real chance that his athletic tools, raw talent, and high upside overcomes his lackluster passing skills.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.