Cam Whitmore 2023 NBA Draft Profile
Cam Whitmore 2023 NBA Draft Profile
Height/Weight/Age: 6’6”/235 lbs /18 years old
Primary Position: Small Forward
2022-23 season Stats: 12.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.7 APG, 47.8% FG, 34.3% 3PT, 70.3% FT, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 1.6 TOPG
Strengths: Athleticism & Size Combo, Finishing, Cutting
Villanova small forward Cam Whitmore is one of the best athletes in the 2023 NBA Draft. That athletic profile is backed up with outstanding size. At 235 pounds, Whitmore jumped out of the gym at the NBA combine with an impressive 40.50-inch max vertical.
Whitemore, 18, has an outstanding combination of size and athleticism which makes him an exciting prospect with a high ceiling. As he walks onto an NBA floor in his rookie season, he will look like an NBA player.
In terms of skills, this allows Whitmore to be a sensational talent in transition. It also adds upside as a perimeter defender that could hold his own against bigger wings down low.
Still plenty of areas that need to be untapped with Cam Whitmore in terms of offensive versatility.
— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) June 10, 2023
But the foundation for growth is awesome. Terrifying transition threat who has ideal mentality when getting downhill. Just absolute raw power. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/Q2BXV19Bvc
In college, Whitmore showed to be an outstanding finisher at the rim. As an athlete, he can finish at the rim with dunks in the half-court. Meanwhile, he is capable of finishing with crafty layups, which is crucial to Whitmore’s scoring ability as he is a great driver that puts pressure on the rim.
This first step from Cam Whitmore after the jab is really nice to see. Gets by Freemantle with ease on the baseline drive and is able to get a dunk at the rim pic.twitter.com/uVS3IUPbge
— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) February 10, 2023
Whitmore provides value as an off-ball cutter as well. At Villanova, he showed solid chops at cutting at the right time which presented him with a ton of great looks at the rim. In the NBA, Whitmore will provide a lot of cutting value if he is paired with an elite playmaking point guard.
Something that I really like about Cam Whitmore's game is his off-ball cutting and how he looks for openings to cut
— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) March 2, 2023
It's been his way of finding easy buckets this year outside of transition because of how much he's been asked to create for himself pic.twitter.com/XFPQN6BHdb
Weaknesses: Playmaking, Processing, Very Raw
The biggest issue with Whitmore as he enters the 2023 NBA draft is his playmaking. It is never a good sign when a player averages 0.7 assists per game and 1.6 turnovers per game. In games, Whitmore simply does not look to pass out of drives very often. Once Whitmore gets going downhill, his drive will end with a shot or turnover at a high rate. This is a really bad tendency when help defenders collapse and double-team Whitmore.
In a similar issue, Whitmore is a slow processor. At Villanova, he frequently stopped the flow of the offense by holding the ball on the perimeter. Ideally, at the NBA level, Whitmore needs to make quicker decisions as to what he is going to do with the ball.
It should be noted that Villanova’s offense struggled mightily last season. Plus, Whitmore was an 18-year-old freshman. Those factors certainly did not help; at the same time, those concerns can not be thrown out.
Lastly, Whitmore is very raw. That can be viewed as a good thing as it provides a ton of upside, but it often can lead to busts when a player does not tap into their potential. In the NBA, Whitmore will have a list of improvements to make.
Offensively, as mentioned, he has playmaking and processing issues, but he also struggles in the mid-range and needs to tighten up his handle. Defensively, he needs to improve his awareness and screen navigation. If he can clean up some of those issues, he will be outstanding. That said, it will not be an easy task.
Best Fits: Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets
It is not hard to find teams that would love to add Whitmore in the 2023 NBA Draft. Who doesn’t want an athletic wing with massive upside?
Whitmore would be an outstanding addition to the Detroit Pistons’ young core. With pick No. 5, there is a real possibility that the Pistons can make that happen. In Detroit, Whitmore would not be tasked with playmaking duties. Instead, he could thrive in off-ball scenarios as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey control the offense. Additionally, the Pistons would have the potential to become an elite transition offense with Ivey and Whitmore manning the break.
The Indiana Pacers could serve as a great landing spot for Cam Whitmore as well. If the Pacers were to snag Whitmore at pick No. 7, they would suddenly have two potentially elite off-ball players in Bennedict Mathurin and Whitmore. That would surround Tyrese Haliburton, their franchise ball handler, with a ton of intriguing talent.
The Charlotte Hornets would be a great landing spot for Whitmore. The Hornets desperately need wing talent and Whitmore helps alleviate that need. Once again, Whitmore would not be forced into a playmaker role with the Hornets as that job belongs to LaMelo Ball. As much as this is a great fit, the Hornets would be pulling an all-time shocker if they selected Whitmore at pick No. 2.
NBA Comparison: Miles Bridges
My favorite NBA comparison for Whitmore is Miles Bridges. The pair share similar athletic profiles and builds. That results in both playing roles as physical and athletic small forwards with the potential to play power forward depending on the lineup. The major difference is that Bridges is a better passer and playmaker. I imagine that Whitmore can close that gap in the long term, however.
Projection: Top 7 Pick
In the 2023 NBA draft, Whitmore will likely find himself as a top 7 selection. The board with Whitmore begins with the Houston Rockets at pick No. 4. That scenario will occur if the Rockets add a star ball handler in free agency which would dissuade the team from adding Amen Thompson in the draft. On the flip side, I’d set the floor at pick No. 7 with the Indiana Pacers. If Whitmore is available at seven, that means he will likely be the player available while being a great fit for Indiana.
Whitmore has great potential to become a secondary scoring option for a high-caliber team. Still, front offices need to understand the risk of drafting Whitmore and the coaching staff needs to be ready to help develop his skillset.
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