Rockets' Cam Whitmore Earns Stamp of Approval from All-Star Paul George

Cam Whitmore has impressed Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George in his first season with the Houston Rockets.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 16, 2024

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Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore has likely seen the last of his season after suffering a knee injury earlier this week.

Whitmore is expected to miss at least three weeks, but with the season coming to an end, there's no guarantee he'll play until October. However, before he stepped off the floor for what could have been the last time in his rookie season, he earned the respect of his peers, namely Los Angeles Clippers All-Star Paul George.

"He was trying to challenge me," George said on his podcast. "He was challenging Kawhi [Leonard]. He's a name that I think, because he's a rookie, hasn't had much coverage on him, but he will be good."

Over his last 10 games, Whitmore averaged 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds. While his shooting efficiency could use some work, he has showcased that he can score at a high level.

Whitmore played in just 38 games this season after spending most of the first half of the year in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In south Texas, Whitmore grew more comfortable with the speed of the NBA game — and it made an impact when he earned a permanent place in the Rockets rotation.

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Whitmore will turn 20 in July and have a full offseason under his belt, so if he can continue along this trajectory, the Rockets could be cooking with gas for the next few years.

The Rockets, sans Whitmore, are back in action today against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT inside the Toyota Center.

Published Mar 16, 2024

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.