Did Cam Whitmore have a medical condition: Debunking health concerns behind the forward's NBA Draft slide

Cam Whitmore had high hopes for the 2023 NBA Draft. The athletic wing was widely considered a top-5 talent by most experts and analysts. But on draft night, he experienced a disappointing slide. He had to wait until the Houston Rockets selected him with the 20th pick, which was far below his expected range.

According to ESPN sources, Whitmore had disappointing workouts and interviews with several teams, raising concerns about his attitude and work ethic.

An Eastern Conference executive told The Athletic that Whitmore did not impress at the Hoops Summit, where he allegedly did not put in much effort in practice.

"At the Hoops Summit, Whitmore was not a practice-type player and didn’t look very good during the week"

"He's going to have to change that at the NBA level," the executive said. "He's going to have to show some skill and ability in practice for a coach to trust him in a game. He can't just rely on his talent like he did at Villanova."

Whitemore, 18, had a short-lived college career at Villanova, where he was sidelined for seven games due to a thumb injury. He appeared in only 26 games, posting averages of 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. In a candid interview with Jonathan Givony, Whitemore admitted that he had some issues with his shooting and intensity during his pre-draft workouts.

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Cam Whitmore motivated to prove doubters wrong after falling to 20th Pick in NBA draft

Cam Whitmore celebrates after being drafted 20th overall pick by the Houston Rockets

The 18-year-old forward said he was baffled by the concerns and insisted he was healthy.

Whitmore dismissed any concerns about his health after he slipped to the 20th pick in the NBA draft.

“I’m fine. I don’t know what happened. It’s my body. I know how I feel. If they have doubts, that’s on them. But I’m not worried about it.”

He said he was motivated by the draft and was eager to prove himself to his new team.

"It motivates me to like 150 percent. It's just something where I've got to rethink, go in the next day, new mind, free mind. Coming into that organization with a chip on my shoulder, have a lot of motivation on my mind."

The Rockets were thrilled to land Cam Whitmore at No. 20, according to sources. They did not expect him to be available at that spot and had him ranked as one of the best prospects in the draft.