Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Teams are not going to tell the media who they are picking. That's all speculative bullshit on the medias part and guess what, the more they write their little worthless articles of lies and you read them the more they get paid. It's a racket and you are getting strung along. Just look at the way it's written, "New Intel suggests. . ." Let me guess New Intel meaning your imagination, suggests (meaning maybe theirs a possibility). League sources... Who the hell told you? No one, theirs no source, it's all made up BS. Just take a week off and come back Thursday night to see what actually happens.
I keep watching Cam highlights and still I wonder, what is he going to provide us that KJ Martin isn't already doing? He's maybe an inch taller and longer, but I would bet that KJ makes up for that in his jumping ability. It's also probably a safe bet that Cam won't shoot better than KJ, at least in his rookie year. This one feels like a smoke screen to me. High usage, low court vision, not really with any superior defensive upside either (at this point in the NBA you basically need Marfanoid bodies with +5/+6 wingspan over height to become a top notch defender). Gone are the days where highlight dunks and jawdropping athleticism gets you to the top of the draft. Anyone remember Marvin Williams? Michael Beasley? Michael Kidd-Gilchrist? Maybe the highest upside comp for this type of prospect is Andrew Wiggins, and even then it took him until year 8 before he could accumulate enough skills to make an all-star team.
I keep seeing the KJ question come up, and while I get the comparison, it's also a drastic oversimplification. To answer your question: self generating offense. I love KJ, but he's a role player; about 75% of his 2s are assisted and 100% of his 3s are assisted. When I watch Cam's tape, I see a guy with an actual offensive game who can take the ball at the top of the key and can score from 3-4 different ways. How often do you see KJ hitting a step back or gettting the ball in isolation and driving by his man? Never. Cam is KJ if KJ were a legit scoring threat. Imagine if KJ were putting up 25 points per game instead of 12 and wasn't terrifed to shoot the 3? Wouldn't it be nice to have a guy like that?
That’s because this video is old and before he even got to Villanova. At 18 now he definitely continues to get even bigger
I agree that Cam has a bit more shot creation than KJ, but I do worry that some of what you're seeing in his college tape is not going to translate as well to the NBA. Bully ball often doesn't move up levels all that well, especially from a guy who is a bit undersized for his position, and that's a lot of how he creates his own opportunities--just running through guys. I agree he's a more-willing shooter than KJ, but I'm not so sure he's a better shooter at this stage. Maybe that will come since he's very young. His biggest advantage over KJ is his handle, which shows flashes of being a real NBA skill, but it's still somewhat shaky and still has a long way to go for him to become effective against better, faster NBA defenders in my view. There's a lot of projection with Whitmore's game still, but he's young enough and shows enough flashes that there's plenty to hope on. The biggest issue is his decisionmaking/feel for the game/basketball IQ. That's where I start to worry because that tends to grow a lot less than other skill areas over time. Still, I agree it's true that his scoring potential is much higher than Martin's.
Happy Father’s Day to the fathers on the site and just want to thank you all for the great feedback on the post(s). I feel for the Rockets as this is truly a tough AND huge decision between Amen and Cam. Amen has star potential but also major flop potential. Cam has 12 year NBA solid starter potential but lacks the superstar component.
I don't know what to make of these workout tapes when there's no one guarding him. His jump shot release looks snail slow.
There are a lot of questions surrounding both Amen and Cam. Let’s hope they are not both busts. Neither one is a surefire prospect, which worries me. Cam has a much higher floor but lower ceiling pretty much sums it up.
Iso's are the least efficient offensive play in basketball unless your name is James Harden. Any youtube clip of Whitmore has him driving right up into the chest of two players, rising up, missing the shot and then slamming back the rebound for a dunk. As if this is a feather in his cap. All it says to me is 1.) he can't even get separation against college level athletes; 2.) there's tunnel vision and a lack of court vision to keep the ball flowing on what I assume will be Udoka's attempt to do a motion offense; and 3.) he doesn't really have the physical traits to dominate the next level. It's not his fault, since he's obviously got little body fat from what we can see if his workout vids. He just so happens to be another thicc body type like Harden or PJ Tucker, with shorter arms than either of those guys (so again, a KJ Martin body type). Being able to take his man off the dribble, draw fouls, and develop a midrange game (again, Carmelo Anthony style) just doesn't jive with where the NBA is headed in terms of prioritizing efficiency over everything else. Maybe his game is more resistant to being neutralized in the playoffs relative to an Amen Thompson, who looks like an absolute god out there running PnR all day. But we're waaaaaaay beyond talking about building up the midrange in preparation for the playoffs. We have to get there first, and nothing about Udoka's offense in Boston, nor Stone's comments regarding philosophical discussions within the front office on optimal styles of play, gives me any hint that they're thinking about adding Whitmore for this element of his game. I could always be wrong, but that's just how I'm seeing it watching the tape. I think the Whitmore leak is a smokescreen to see if they can maximize assets that Detroit or Orlando might be willing to trade. Maybe the Rockets think they can get their #1 (non-Scoot non-Miller) guy at 5 or 6 just as well as 4.
Yes that’s what every draft video on him says. His shot has a slow release and build up but he’s only 18 and we do have great shooting coaches
The small arms and hands are worrisome. he's basically got the wingspan and hand size of an average PG. but maybe he's got a little Desmond bane in him to overcome being a t-rex. still prefer to roll the dice on teaching amen to shoot.
I like Cam Whitmore but not on this team. A guy like him needs to go to a team with a pure playmaker like Orlando or Detroit. Hopefully Brandon Miller falls to 4 so it solves our issues lol if not, then I'm ok taking Amen or dropping down to 9 and 16 or something.
Thicker Bennedict Mathurin is the best comp for Whitmore I’ve seen. Whitmore an inch taller, Mathurin with a longer wingspan and higher standing reach. Both powerful athletes who can bully defenders at the basket. Very similar iso offensive playstyles from the wings with an ok shot and a potential for defensive solidity. Imagine adding Mathurin to this group (he had a nice rookie year!)… what does that do for us? Just adds another score only solid prospect to our collection. Would change absolutely nothing about this team’s situation. We can’t simultaneously develop 3-4 wing iso scorers / play finishers, and they would have diminishing returns in combination as trade assets. Whitmore at #4 makes no sense as a path.
My point isn't that I want a ton of guys who can only score in isolation. My point is that he's a guy who can go get you a bucket when you need it. KJ isn't that guy. Cam will be. I've watched plenty of highlights where he drives to the basket and doesn't miss on first attempts, so I'm not sure what highlights you're watching. I've always enjoyed this guy's breakdowns of prospects, and notice the finishing skills at the rim, both in half-court and transition: Everything I've read about him suggests he's ridiculously efficient around the rim, aka KJM-like. But, again, unlike KJ, he can actually generate his own offense when needed. He's going to dunk a ton, but he can also finish through contract and draw fouls. Also, why are you assuming he's just going to take a ton of mid-range jumpers? That feels like a pretty significant leap in logic. You talk about prioritizing efficiency, and there's nothing about his game that says he'll be inefficient. Guys who finish around the rim, are strong offensive rebounders and can hit open 3 (40% on catch and shoot 3s) tend to be pretty efficient. He's great in the corners, too. The fact that he's got these offensive skills already and is only 18 bodes well for him to develop into at least an above average starter to borderline All-Star. Again, I'm not fully on board with either Amen or Cam at this point. I like both guys a lot and will be thrilled with either name being called on draft night. But it really feels like fans are pushing so hard for their guy as to ignore the positives of the other. Can't both guys just be solid prospects? Do we have to crap on one guy just to prop up the other? This is starting to feel like Mobley vs. Green and Paolo vs. Chet vs. Bari all over again...
