Rockets' Tari Eason Praises 'Special' Rookie Cam Whitmore

Cam Whitmore has already impressed Tari Eason during the Houston Rockets' run at the Las Vegas Summer League.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 11, 2023

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets hope to have another NBA Draft steal on their hands.

In the past three years, the Rockets have picked in the top five of the NBA Draft, but they have also accrued mid-round picks that have proven to flash a ton of potential.

In 2021, that was Alperen Sengun. In 2022, that was Tari Eason. Now in 2023, that could be Cam Whitmore, who has impressed Eason already in just two Summer League games.

“Man that dude is special,” Eason said. “The fact that he's able to come out here and play in such a mature game, shows a true testament to how great he is as a player and how great he will be.”

Whitmore has played well to start off Summer League, recording a double-double in Friday's opener against the Portland Trail Blazers with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He responded in Sunday's game against the Detroit Pistons with a 21-point performance.

With No. 4 overall pick Amen Thompson injured and Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. likely sidelined for the remainder of Summer League, Whitmore has the opportunity to be the featured player for the Rockets in the last three games ... a chance to prove just how special he can be.

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Published Jul 11, 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.