Coming into the draft, Villanova forward Cam Whitmore was considered a surefire lottery pick.
Arguably the most NBA ready big with an incredible motor and impressive strength, Whitmore was rated as high as No. 3 on many mock drafts and the No. 4 rated talent on Sporting News draft expert Kyle Irving's big board. Irving had the following evaluation of Whitmore's game:
Whitmore's bullying physicality is his greatest strength and he will not be intimated or overpowered at the next level. Although his freshman season was delayed by thumb surgery and he didn't consistently produce at the level that was expected upon his return, the flashes were bright enough to see his high ceiling of potential. He's a force around the basket and dunks everything. The Big East Rookie of the Year projects at a minimum to be a high-level, tough-nosed versatile defender.
So why did Whitmore, who was easily a top 10 pick on the vast majority of mock drafts, not selected anywhere near the lottery, falling all the way to the 20th pick in the draft?
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Cam Whitmore NBA draft slide, explained
Injury concerns
Teams in the lottery may have been spooked by Whitmore's medical records.
With Cam Whitmore falling out of the lottery, my understanding is there's a palpable trepidation surrounding his medicals that's contributed to this slide. That chatter grew louder behind the scenes today. Whitmore could still be a real value pick for whoever grabs him.
— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) June 23, 2023
Whitmore also had questions about his feel. He had 42 turnovers to just 19 assists in his lone season at Villanova.
Draft interviews
In addition, Whitmore reportedly did not work out or interview well during the predraft process. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski outlined some of these concerns during ABC's draft coverage.
According to Woj, part of the reason Cam Whitmore is falling in the draft is because of "poor workouts & some not great interviews with teams over the last month" pic.twitter.com/3TQK2u6Dfc
— FTB VIDS (@anotherFTBacct) June 23, 2023
"There was a sense [Whitmore] would drop tonight, perhaps to the back end of the lottery," Wojnarowski said.
Cam Whitmore drafted by the Rockets
Whitmore's fall stopped at no. 20 with the Rockets. That was a great pick for them — they were reportedly considering him at no. 4 previously, according to The Athletic's Sam Vecenie.
Whitmore is going to be one of the best athletes in the NBA, if he can get his body right. He projects to be a great shot maker and defender.
It was a disappointing night for Whitmore, who looked visibly frustrated as he saw teams continue to pass on him. But he may have found a great home in Houston.
