[2023 NBA Draft/1-20] Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova

Double double trouble his first SL game.

Well done Cam

DD

 

A lot of people here don't care about any of that they just want Stone fired for losing Tyty, Garuba and Jaygup for nothing.

 

On the plus side, really good rebounding from Cam tonight, and he was playing hard on both ends.

On the downside, the reported tunnelvision was on full display. 5 for 18 from the field and only 2 assists. He didn't look ready to contribute to a movement-oriented, team-focused offense.

Just one game though, let's see how he responds to coaching.

 

Hopefully it's not a high ankle sprain. He was in considerable discomfort. Let's hope for the best.

 

Happy birthday, Cam! 19-years old? Are you kidding me? The sky is the limit for Cam.

His tunnel vision problem stems from the truth that he's never had to pass the ball; he could just put his chest into defenders and move them. With his style of play, he rarely drew a defender in his 1/2 season of college that could match up with him. Naturally, there's a learning curve here. In the NBA, straight-line fierceness might work half the time. We will have to endure a few out-of-control moments, but what's not to love about his aggression?

The best thing that will happen to Whitmore is sparring in practice with Dillon Brooks. Both will pick up a few bruises along the way, but something tells me that Whitmore will become more team-oriented after repeatedly driving into a Brooks-centric wall. Fun times ahead.

 

So a much better version of Jaygup, then. We upgraded.

 

I mean yes but its been one summer league game.

Josh has put up 30 in an actual NBA game don't forget.

 

They need to break Cam's habit of bee-lining to the basket every time. He had one hot pass down the court that looked good. Just needs to learn to make the right play but if he gets a small guy on his hip it's BBQ chicken.

 

Defense was definitely a plus. Hopefully the shot comes around but the tunnel vision was crazy. There was one possession the team was trotting up to a half court set with Amen in the middle of the floor calling for the ball the whole way, Cam didn't even notice. That was the one to me, where I'm realizing he's not some a-hole ballhog. He's young and crazy oblivious. He can run, jump, shoot and defend very well... but he doesn't know when to swing it, when to make his move, what's a good shot...he doesn't even realize when to let the point guard play point guard. That's why he'll be playing in the G this season. I don't need him to become a facilitator or anything, I just need him to know how a team works and what his role is within it.

Seeing him play the 2 guard, able to defend the perimeter was very nice. I'm sure the shot will come around and he's an absolute monster on drives. Just learn when it's his spot, when it's not.

 

I don't know about putting him in the G-league. From the many clips I've seen G-leaguers play, there's very little team ball and almost nobody plays defense. Looks more like pick up games than NBA games. Everybody is trying to be impressive enough to get called up to the big league.

 

I heard the same — I think he just worded it awkwardly. I think he was trying to say that he assumed everyone else would want Cam and so they had other targets they were trying to trade up for — with the assumption that someone ahead would draft Cam.

My guess is they were trying to get to 15-18 to jump the Warriors for Podz. Those conversations would be happening 5 or so picks ahead of time — and Stone was assuming Cam would be in the group of players picked in the mean time.

He definitely could have said it differently, though.

 

My understanding is that they were trying to move up a few spots for Pods, and then once Whitmore dropped out of the lotto they changed their target to him. I do believe they didn’t expect him to get out of the lotto and that they were unsuccessful in trading up, and basically just got lucky.

 

I am really having a hard time figuring out his upside potential, and I don't say that because he isn't talented.

He is YOUNG so these things could change. But, being a ball stopper is a really negative trait.

I love his intensity and he is already a bully ball player at the age of 19 (day 1). He has defensive upside and rebounding upside for a wing. I see him like a Anthony Edwards lite, but with massive tunnel vision.

Even though he can contribute in the NBA day 1, I believe he could end up in the G-League where he is instructed to play within a team game. If he can't do that then he will just end up a 20ppg+ on a losing team or a high scoring 6th or 7th man who gets you points.

 

What I saw from Cam last night was pretty much what I expected. First summer league game, just turned 19 today. He was forcing everything and very inefficient. That’s just his youth.

But I saw evidence that he can be a really good defensive player; loved some of those steals. He’s a natural rebounder; he uses his big ass like a 6th man on the court to box out and create space. He’s got a great shooting stroke; I buy him becoming a good range shooter. his strength and power are rare for his age.

As others have mentioned, the tunnel vision and feel for the game isn’t there yet. He was trying to do too much; rarely gave the ball up or passed to the easy option. He’s strong but saw the length become a disadvantage when finishing at the rim. He also has to continue to improve his handles.

I don’t think he pays much this year, but he’s got all the skills to be a high-level 2-way player. I think he’ll take two years to really take that next step, but well worth the investment at #20.

 

I actually think Cam's ceiling is super high. He played out of position at PF but still put up decent nos for a 19 yr old. I dunno if you guys remember but KJ Martin looked like a total scrub when he started out and he was a 20 yr old.

I don't mind the ball hog tendencies cuz Cam will never be the lead guard on a team. He can play off ball till his court vision improves kinda like Tari Eason. People saying he will be a black hole/ball stopper is wrong cuz Cam doesn't massage the ball for 30 secs like Harden, Melo or Cp3, once he gets the rock he is flying to the basket already. There is very little wasted time and in fact Cam was pretty efficient in college recording 57% TS which is very respectable for a wing.

 

Orem has the basketball knowledge of a peanut…2 assists is more than fine, he isn’t a point guard.

 

Cam looked very good last night….not sure what game you were watching. He’s ready now for minutes at small forward.

 

Cam has the burden now to show up in SL in place of Thompson.

Amen.

 

The dismissive attitude about competition levels outside of the NBA is killing me man. You've argued against yourself trying to downplay the GL. Cam played like some pick-up game baller who won't pass to his teammates. He played like a G leaguer, but he's too good for that eh?

What's the alternative? We just watched 3 brutal years of low-IQ teenager ball. There's a rotation full of guys that have earned their places.

 

I liked what I saw. Very athletic and nice footwork