Inside The Rockets

'That's My Goal!' Rockets' Cam Whitmore Eyeing Rookie Award

After winning Summer League MVP honors in Las Vegas, Houston Rockets' rookie Cam Whitmore now has his eyes set on Rookie of the Year.

Matt Guzman

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During the 2023 NBA Draft, Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore sat in a black monochrome suit at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

For a good amount of the city, June 22 wasn't anything special. It was just another weekday evening, albeit one day closer to the beginning of another summer weekend. That wasn't true for Whitmore. He and his family sat around their designated table on the floor of Barclays, the 19-year-old's entire life replayed in his head, as one player after another got their moment in the spotlight first. 

"Every time it kept counting down, [I] just didn't know where to go," Whitmore told ESPN's Malika Andrews. "I was praying. I was really talking to God the whole entire time, for real."

Whitmore was supposed to be a lottery pick. Instead, his draft stock fell to the back half of the first round for "medical reasons" that not even he could explain. Little did he know, however, falling as far as he did only paired him with the team that considered taking him with the No. 4 pick. 

"Cam was dropping," Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said following the draft. "We were actually really active in this draft, but it didn't result in anything [because] we wanted him and we got him."

By that logic, maybe Whitmore was destined to be a Rocket. Maybe his basketball journey would have led him to Houston one way or another, and his draft placement only hastened that process.  Either way, it didn't matter to the rookie. 

“I’ve been overlooked a lot of times in my life, so it didn’t really faze me," Whitmore said. "I’m just really happy to be in the NBA. I dreamed about that my whole life. [June 22] was the best day of my life, so this is really the start.”

Whitmore wasn't supposed to be the No. 20 pick, but he also wasn't supposed to be the all-around Summer League MVP.  But he did both of those things. 

Now, his sights are set even higher ahead of his first season in the league; Whitmore wants to be Rookie of the Year. And regardless of what was "supposed to happen," he's ready to work and is determined to get there. 

"It's just something where I've got to ... go into the next day [with] a new mind," Whitmore said. "I know I'm different than everybody else, [so] it's time to get to work... I'm ready to be a Rocket."

Cam's Summer-League Showcase, Ime Udoka Relationship

Whitmore's story, while it may have begun the night of the draft, really took off during Summer League. Regardless of how you spin it, Cam's draft placement automatically added an underdog tag to his basketball career, but he doesn't see it that way. 

And more than likely, the rest of the league doesn't see it that way anymore, either.

In five Summer League games, Whitmore proved himself to be an explosive scorer. He can get up and attack the rim — much to the dismay of his jumping defenders — but also has the ability to spot up from 3-point land, which was all on display in Las Vegas. 

The rookie's best game came in the last matchup before the Summer League Semifinal, when the Rockets faced off against the Warriors. Golden State was in a slump, but that didn't stop Whitmore and company from laying it on their opponent, sinking 20 3-pointers en route to a 17-point blowout. 

That game, Whitmore finished with 26 points — leading all scorers — and hit three 3s himself to help push Houston past the Warriors. When he wasn't lighting it up on the offensive end, he was wreaking havoc on defense, collecting eight steals to add to his impressive performance.

Yes, those stats would be credited to Houston's designated Summer League coach, Ben Sullivan, but ultimately, Whitmore's growth will be overseen by Ime Udoka, the man behind the clipboard and who will be guiding his young players all season. 

And it seems that Whitmore and Udoka are already off to a great start in H-Town.

"Every time I step on the floor, he tells me to just play my game," Whitmore said of Udoka's guidance. "He tells me to be myself and let the game come to me. He's a great coach — I think this will be a learning experience [for me]. He can definitely help me in many ways." 

Helping Whitmore grow will be a big task for the first-year Rockets coach, especially if the organization views him as a second lottery-caliber player. And while the added attention will be beneficial for the 19-year-old, what might be even better for his development is Udoka's mindset regarding his players. 

"At the end of the day, once you get drafted, everybody's in the same boat." Udoka said. "We talked about the possibility of moving up [to draft Whitmore], but once he kept falling to us, it was a surprise. But we are extremely happy."

Being in the same boat as Houston's veterans like Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green will allow Whitmore to grow at a similar rate, especially if he's serious about his Rookie of the Year aspirations. 

But if he is, that will become obvious extremely quickly.

"Whatever coach wants me to do, I'll do it," Whitmore said. "If he wants me to guard the big man, I'll do it. If he wants me to guard the point guard, I'll do it ... I think [I'll] be a great fit. I'll do anything that will impact the team in as many ways possible." 

So, Can Whitmore Really Win ROTY? 

With a solid mindset, level of confidence and skill set to back it up, there's little doubt about whether or not Whitmore will become the draft steal of the year.

Had any other team selected him with the pick he was expected to be, he likely would have had the same showing in Vegas. He might have even won the same MVP award for his all-around performance. 

Houston does have something unique, however. It also has Amen Thompson.

Assuming nothing was known about either of the two players beside their draft position, all signs would point towards Thompson being the Rockets' frontrunner for ROTY. He was a top-5 pick. That's what makes Whitmore's situation so unique.

Not only will the rookie be challenged by his veteran coach, he'll also be held to the same standard as the experienced players on the roster on top of competing with Thompson. Obviously, the idea isn't to create a negative relationship between the two 19-year-olds, but the presence of the other adds extra motivation. 

Even so, Whitmore feels he brings something to the game that nobody else does — including Thompson — though it isn't a knock on his new teammate.

"It's not just [my] confidence, it's [my] skillset," Whitmore said of what makes him stand apart from other rookies. "I think I have the biggest skillset in the draft right now. I'm the most different type of athlete, the most explosive ... so I think I have the opportunity to be up there [with the other ROTY candidates]."

So, the short answer to the question of the season for Houston? Yes. Cam Whitmore does have the potential to win ROTY. Nothing is guaranteed from Amen Thompson, especially with his early injury, nor Charlotte and Brandon Miller. Not even San Antonio Spurs' rookie Victor Wembanyama is a shoe-in for the award. He needs to prove it first. 

Whitmore has the same opportunity as the rest of the rookie class. He'll also be competing against them, but like he did after winning the Summer League MVP, he's set his sights higher than that.

"My biggest competition [will] probably be the All-Stars in the league today," Whitmore said. "But I'd definitely say that a goal of mine is to win Rookie of the Year. I definitely have that coming." 

"Definitely" might be a stretch, even for Whitmore. 

It does reveal, however, one trait the rookie has that will carry him throughout his career: confidence. Whitmore proved his worth at Summer League, backing up the confidence he brought into the six-game tourney. And now, he'll have to back it up further by chasing after the Rookie of the Year award during the regular season.

Whitmore may not end up doing it, but if he does — no one should be surprised.  

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a 19-year-old sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He is currently a sophomore at the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in journalism with a sports writing and reporting emphasis, along with a sports analytics certificate. He serves as a staff writer and reporter for the SI/FanNation network covering collegiate sports, pro football and pro basketball.

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