Rockets' Cam Whitmore Addresses 'Underrated' Playmaking Ability

Cam Whitmore didn't pass the ball a ton at Villanova, but the Houston Rockets rookie hopes to change that in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 24, 2023

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The Houston Rockets were fortunate to draft Villanova forward Cam Whitmore with the No. 20 pick, considering many labeled him as a potential top-5 pick ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft.

However, there are weaknesses to his game which may have forced his slide, namely his passing abilities. Whitmore averaged less than one assist per game this past season with the Wildcats, giving him a historically-low assist rate.

That being said, Whitmore believes he will be better at that aspect of his game on the professional level.

"I think I can really pass," Whitmore said via The Athletic's Kelly Iko. "Definitely, I made some dumb decisions sometimes. Everybody’s human at the end of the day. But my playmaking ability can definitely improve, and it’s very underrated."

Whitmore's lack of assists can be seen as a red flag, but for those who like viewing things with the cup half-full, this low assist rate shows how well he can play off-ball.

"I went through that at Nova and tried to impact the team in any way possible outside of having the ball in my hands," Whitmore said. "Trying to impact the team in any way possible, that’s all I’ve been about ever since I was a youngin. Just trying to help the team."

Whitmore's greatest strength is his scoring ability. He averaged 12.5 points per game, a very high mark for a Villanova freshman considering their depth of upperclassmen. All three players who averaged more than Whitmore were seniors or higher.

Whitmore will encounter a similar hierarchy in Houston, especially with the wave of recent first-round draft picks, but the No. 20 pick will find his way with his athleticism, raw talent and urge to improve in his weaker areas.

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Published Jun 24, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.