Cam Whitmore could be the NBA’s next star wing.
On the surface, Cam Whitmore’s numbers don’t really stack up with his lottery-bound peers. Villanova hasn’t been able to rely on Whitmore as a primary scoring threat every night and his consistency has wavered in the wake of injury. So, with only 22 games on his college résumé so far and fewer tangible signs of productivity than his primary competition, why do we currently have Whitmore slated as a top-5 pick?
Well, that’s where the fun starts. The NBA Draft is all about projection — sifting through the noise, imagining the as of yet unseen, and doing one’s absolute best to guess what might happen. Whitmore’s collegiate career is destined to finish after one mostly underwhelming season, but anyone who has watched Villanova has seen the light.
Whitmore is built for the modern NBA. A showtime athlete with major two-way potential, Whitmore will have teams dreaming of Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and the increasingly long line of athletic wings to prosper in the NBA after inefficient one-year stints in college.
Cam Whitmore NBA Draft bio
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 232 pounds
Birthdate: July 8, 2004
Position: Small Forward
Offensive Role: Slasher/Spacer
Defensive Role: Switchable wing
Projected Draft Range: 3-10
NBA Draft highlights
Strengths
Pardon the pun, but Whitmore’s greatest strength might just be his strength. He’s built with the power and speed of the finest sports car. Whitmore can absolutely wreck smaller defenders in the paint. Once he’s moving full speed downhill, he has little trouble dislodging those who attempt to stop him.
Whitmore combines that muscular force with explosive leaping ability. He can detonate above the rim as effortlessly as anyone in the draft, which is high praise considering the other prospects on the board. He’s absolutely fearless going at the rim. That leaping ability makes a frequent impact on the defensive end too, where Whitmore can soar for weak-side blocks or elevate above the crowd to collect rebounds.
To begin his NBA career, Whitmore should be able to feast on straight-line drives and spot-up jumpers. He won’t need to create a significant portion of offense by himself, as just about every lottery team has good ball-handlers. He already thrives off the ball, making quick cuts to the rim to punish sleeping defenders. Any half-aware playmaker is going to have a new favorite lob target if Whitmore gets drafted to his team.
Whitmore plays generally smart and unselfish basketball. He doesn’t get caught up in trying to do too much off the bounce. He shows flashes of tantalizing self-creation, which NBA teams will no doubt want him to tap into more over time. But, for now, he’s perfectly comfortable playing team basketball and attacking off the catch.
His positional size and strength on defense will also be a key contributor in determining where he ends up on draft night. Whitmore plays fiery defense and has the physical tools to defend several positions based on necessity.
Weaknesses
Right now, the biggest red flag for Whitmore is his lack of consistency beyond the arc. For the season, he’s shooting 33.0 percent from deep. He doesn’t shoot the softest ball and he could need time to tweak his mechanics in order to maximize his efficiency at the next level. Whitmore’s explosive slashing won’t pop nearly as much if defenses don’t guard him on the perimeter.
There are also valid questions about Whitmore’s ability to reach his undeniably high ceiling. He has the quick first step and dominant strength of a bona fide star wing. But, there are still moments where he settles for difficult shots or struggles to navigate tight spaces in the defense. He can break his man down one-on-one, but the results right now are more mixed than NBA teams would like out of a hypothetical go-to option.
All the tools are there. It’s only a matter of whether or not Whitmore can put them all together.
Final summary
Cam Whitmore is one of the most promising two-way players on the board. His remarkable athleticism and high-level competitive spirit should have teams as early as No. 3 considering the Villanova product.
While it will be difficult for some to overlook the inconsistency and even the relative lack of success for Villanova as a whole, smart teams will see in Whitmore the crystal-clear outline of a future star. His particular blend of size, strength, and quick-twitch power is not common. Very few players can move and elevate like Whitmore. Even fewer can truck defenders like a lineman.
The jumper needs to improve, but in the current age of NBA skill development, that’s often a pretty safe bet. Players improve religiously from deep and Whitmore has the skills necessary to contribute even when shots aren’t falling. Expect him to lead a long and successful career.
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