Cam Whitmore Believes Rockets Was Right Situation After Draft Day Slide
HOUSTON — Cam Whitmore may have been upset by his draft selection, but the rookie prospect from Villanova is more than happy to be playing for the Houston Rockets.
"I did not know how the situation would end up, but I am happy to be a Rocket," Whitmore said. "I am very grateful and blessed, very excited to get started...I got drafted, I am just blessed to be here."
The selection of Whitmore during the back half of the first round was the surprise of the draft. He entered the 2023 NBA Draft as a projected top-10 pick but fell to the Rockets at No. 20.
Injury concerns and subpar interviewing skills were credited as the primary reasons for Whitmore's declining stock. But the 18-year-old refused to stress about the unfair negativity he received.
Whitmore says he handled the disappointment by remaining focused and keeping his head down when working. The feeling of being overlooked isn't new to Whitmore. But falling outside the lottery to land in Houston has added a "chip on Whitmore's shoulders" after the draft night slide.
"It happened for the right reasons," Whitmore said. "They opened me with open arms. I had a workout with them, and we talked afterward. This felt like a comfortable place for me."
Whitmore spent the majority of his draft preparations working out at the University of Houston with draftmate Jarace Walker, a University of Houston prospect. Walker and Whitmore had developed a relationship due to sharing the same agent.
Whitmore's time in Houston gave the Rockets an additional period to get acquainted with the wingman.
The insight the Rockets developed in the weeks leading up to the draft left general manager Rafael Stone and coach Ime Udoka stoked Thursday night when Whitmore fell to their second selection in the first round.
"It was a huge night for us, wasn't expected at all," Udoka said. "A pleasant surprise on our part for Cam. We talked immediately after the draft about using this as motivation.
"These types of things happen. But at the end of the day, once you get drafted, everybody's in the same boat. We talked about the possibility of moving up. But once he kept falling to us, it was a surprise. We are extremely happy."
Whitmore played one season at Villanova and averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds across 26 games. He scored a career-best 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field, 3-for-7 from deep in an 88-80 defeat to Xavier on Jan. 7.
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