Inside The Rockets

NBA Draft: Why Did Rockets No. 20 Pick Cam Whitmore Fall?

Cam Whitmore has been the biggest faller in the NBA Draft. However, the Houston Rockets ended the slide by making him the No. 20 pick.

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

Villanova forward Cam Whitmore was considered to be a potential option for the Houston Rockets with the No. 4 pick. However, the team passed up on him to select Overtime Elite point guard Amen Thompson.

Luckily for the Rockets, Whitmore was surprisingly available when Houston was back on the clock for the No. 20 pick and the team was able to take him.

But why did Whitmore, a projected top-five pick, fall so far down in the draft?

According to reports, Whitmore's medical records had scared some teams off of him, and others took players they felt were safer.

However, when asked by reporters about these "medical concerns," Whitmore wasn't sure about what was being referenced.

“I feel fine, it’s my body,” Whitmore said via The Athletic's Kelly Iko.

With the Rockets on the clock and Whitmore on the board, the value was simply too good for Houston to pass up on him.

Whitmore, a 6-6 forward entered his freshman campaign as a five-star prospect and one of the top-15 players in the country.

In his true freshman campaign, the Big East Rookie of the Year averaged 12.5 points 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals on 47.8 percent shooting from the field. 

"With a strong frame and body that’s ready for the NBA, the 6-foot-7 wing was one of the best athletes in the country last season," SI writes. "He plays with power and energy that sticks out when he’s on the floor."

In Houston, Whitmore will bring that power and energy to a frontcourt with KJ Martin, Tari Eason, Jae'Sean Tate and Jabari Smith Jr.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in news and insider information on the Houston Rockets? Click here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Facebook here

Follow Inside the Rockets on Twitter @InsideRocketsFN

Want even more Houston Rockets news? Check out the SI.com team page here

Check out the latest episodes of the Kiss of Death Podcast:

Published
Jeremy Brener
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.

Home/News