Inside The Rockets

Rockets' Cam Whitmore Must Grow This Season

The Houston Rockets have a gem in Cam Whitmore.
Jeremy Brener|
Mar 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) attempts to steal the ball from Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) attempts to steal the ball from Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have an exciting piece in second-year pro Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, started his season off slow, but began to emerge as an impactful player for the Rockets in the second half of the season.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes thinks that Whitmore is the Rockets' X-Factor for the upcoming season.

"Pick any random game of his after he jumped from the G League to the Houston Rockets' rotation, and you'll get the good with the bad. For every deft step-through in transition and easy-release three, there are defensive non-competes and telegraphed cross-court passes begging to be picked off. That sort of up-and-down performance should be the expectation for a rookie, but it felt particularly illustrative of Whitmore's possible futures," Hughes writes. "If he never rounds out the rest of his game, improves his shot selection and commits to defending, Whitmore could wind up with the disappointing "empty buckets" label. If he becomes a more complete player and continues to flash the scoring instincts of an alpha, he could quickly climb to the top of a long list of potential future stars on the Rockets' roster."

Whitmore has the desire to be great, and that means working on all aspects of his game. He can already score at a high level, but if he grows in other areas, he could become a true long-term option for the Rockets.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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