Ex-Rocket Cam Whitmore Talks Houston Tenure, Wizards Arrival

Former Houston Rockets wing Cam Whitmore talked about his time with the team that drafted him, as well as his new home with the Washington Wizards, in a new interview.

Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) looks to shoot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Cam Whitmore's tenure with the Houston Rockets was short, but it certainly wasn't unimportant. Through some ups and downs in his early NBA career, the 21-year-old was an electrifying player, now joining the Washington Wizards after being traded earlier in the offseason.

Coming into the 2023 NBA Draft, Whitmore wasn't supposed to be a Rocket. That's not to say he shouldn't have been selected so high; rather, he shouldn't have fallen so low. The Villanova product dropped to the No. 20 pick after being projected in the early lottery.

Whitmore shone in his rookie season, but his minutes and production decreased in year two as the Rockets got better. Houston went 52-30, but it was tough for the young slasher to find a solidified rotation spot amid a deep rotation.

As a result, he was traded to the Washington Wizards, a team that should present plenty more opportunities on the court after averaging just 17.4 minutes per game in Houston. It's also worth noting that Whitmore is a Maryland native, growing up a short drive from Capital One Arena.

Whitmore sat down with NBA insider Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson to talk about his time with the Rockets and his new home in D.C. The 6-foot-7 wing took a lot away from his time in Texas.

Caught up with new Washington Wizard @_camwhitmore_ who was recently traded from the Houston Rockets to D.C.

A Maryland native and product of the DMV’s rich hoops culture, Cam opened up about his growth, lessons from Houston, expectations for this season & more.

🔗 Full story… pic.twitter.com/86dO64WmG1

— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) July 28, 2025

"You can’t get on the floor without defense," Whitmore said. "When I first arrived in the NBA I really didn’t focus on that side of the floor but as time went on defense could make a big impact and you don’t even have to score the ball. You can rebound and hustle back on defense and get deflections you know? Just the little stuff that helps the team win."

At the end of the day, Whitmore is ready to move on to the Wizards. He'll be joining an exciting young core with a more flexible timeline, being accompanied by young standouts like Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson. However, the former Rocket is trying to make an immediate impact.

"I’m not gonna lie I’m really trying to win some games!" Whitmore said. "I want to turn this whole organization around into a positive organization where fans will want to come to the games and fans will want to watch the Wizards play basketball but first we gotta win.

"Really my goal is to win 35 least 40 games at the max but the Eastern Conference is up for grabs and anybody can kind of get in but a Play-In wouldn’t be too bad either."

Whitmore explained that his transition from Houston wasn't much of a struggle. There was some expectation that he would be moved this summer, especially after Houston traded for Kevin Durant. The Rockets have a better rotation with pieces to win now, while Whitmore joins a rebuilding team in Washington.