Why did Cam Whitmore drop to No. 20 in 2023 NBA Draft? Exploring real reason behind late pick

Cam Whitmore was projected to be a high lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Some scouts even described the Villanova product as having an NBA-ready body. However, Whitmore fell to the No. 20 pick with the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Whitmore didn't look good in workouts and failed to impress scouts with his answers in interviews. Some also didn't like what they saw with his medicals. He missed the first seven games of his lone season for the Wildcats due to a thumb injury.

An Eastern Conference executive explained to The Athletic's David Aldridge why they expected Whitmore to drop in the draft:

"At the Hoops Summit, Whitmore was not a practice-type player and didn't look very good during the week. But once he played, he was one of the better players in the game. That's going to have to change at the NBA level.

"He's going to have to exert some effort, some ability and skill level in practice for a head coach to put him in a game. He's not going to be guaranteed minutes like he probably was at Villanova."

Another problem that people saw with Cam Whitmore during the Draft Combine was his "lack of feel" for the game. A scout told Seth Davis of The Athletic that Whitmore has to improve his decision-making if he wants to be successful in the NBA:

"He's a freakish athlete who can really go to the rim and finish strong," the scout said. "I question his feel for the game. He plays with blinders on sometimes. I think the NBA game will be better for him.

"There are questions with his decision-making. Things have to be simple for him, but he's a forceful dude. The shot is not broken, but he's not a knockdown shooter right now."

---

Cam Whitmore's potential

Cam Whitmore at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine

Cam Whitmore has a lot to offer to the Houston Rockets. Whitmore has an NBA-ready body, which he uses to drive to the basket with force. He's also a good cutter and a versatile on-ball defender. The forward has the athleticism to impact both sides of the floor.

Meanwhile, his red flags of not having a "feel" for the game and poor decision-making led to his drop to No. 20. He will also need to learn to have a better shot selection and improve his shooting if he wants to be a good NBA player.