Houston Rockets' Amen Thompson Records Triple-Double, Cam Whitmore Shine in G-League
The Houston Rockets had perhaps the best NBA Draft of any team this summer. They landed Amen Thompson fourth overall, exactly where he was projected, and then Cam Whitmore, a surefire lock to go in the top ten, slid all the way to 20th where Houston nabbed him.
Since then, things have gone off the rails.
Cam Whitmore slid to 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
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After five games and only 32 total minutes with the main squad, Whitmore was sent to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G-League. This was in large part due to his place in the depth chart. Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks are simply better players, and in the G-League, Whitmore would be able to get more minutes.
Amen Thompson was sent to Rio Grande Valley in order to rehab an ankle injury suffered in his fourth NBA game. Before that, the rookie was showing real promise, posting 6.3 points in limited minutes off the bench.
The two rookies have reunited in the G-League, and they look great. In Wednesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Blue, Thompson posted a 29-point triple-double. The Vipers lost 128-126, but Whitmore shined in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points in the final frame.
For good measure, Jermaine Samuels Jr. added 25 points on 10/17 shooting.
When (not if) Thompson and Whitmore rejoin the main squad, both won’t see the floor enough to boast routine 20-point games. In seven games with the Vipers, Whitmore is averaging 24.9 points on 44 percent shooting from deep. If he can keep shooting that well, he will have a long NBA career despite the slow start.
Thompson will come back to Houston as soon as his ankle allows him to, which could be any day now. When he rejoins the team, his defensive hustle will be immediately helpful, and as with all rookies, his choices with the ball will be an area of concern. In an NBA Rookie Class led by Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Ausar Thompson, the Rockets quietly have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA.
