Rockets' GM Rafael Stone Believes Cam Whitmore’s MVP Was 'Great Honor'
HOUSTON — Cam Whitmore's pro career is off to a great start. He put on a show during the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League tournament, where he averaged 20.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 steals while leading the Houston Rockets to a 5-1 record in Las Vegas.
The Rockets were 5-0 in Summer League play before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the championship game on July 17.
Whitmore's consistency and production led to him receiving Summer League MVP honors, where Rockets' general manager Rafael Stone displayed his excitement for his rookie prospect from Villanova.
"It’s a great honor to be named MVP of summer league," Stone said in the team’s newly released video. “He was very deserving. We wanted Cam to play his best, to play hard, and to be aggressive, and he did all of that."
Whitmore had arguably his best performance of the tournament with 25 points, four rebounds and two blocks to lead the Rockets to a 115-101 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Whitmore was a projected top-10 pick who did not understand how he slipped outside the lottery. No team disputed his talents. But Whitmore's injury history became the reason behind his diminished stock.
He was unfazed by the number of teams that passed on his services and described the draft as "the best day" of his life on June 22. But the 19-year-old prospect vowed to use the draft night snub as motivation.
Two months into his career, Whitmore has already established himself as the steal of the draft.
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