New Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore doesn’t understand the medical concerns that likely caused him to fall to No. 20 in the first round.
“I feel fine,” the 18-year-old told reporters after Thursday’s NBA draft at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. “I have no idea.”
Whitmore was believed under consideration by the Rockets for the No. 4 pick; some analysts had projected him to be selected over Amen Thompson (the eventual choice).
Yet, for whatever reason, the athletic 6-foot-7 forward tumbled out of the lottery entirely and was available for Rockets general manager Rafael Stone to select with Houston’s second first-round pick.
According to multiple reporters, team sources indicated they didn’t see any red flags when reviewing Whitmore’s medicals.
Here’s a roundup of what Whitmore had to say, along with reaction from fans and analysts within the draft community. Stone will meet with reporters for further discussion late Thursday night.
Cam Whitmore unconcerned by medicals
Per source, Rockets aren’t concerned at all about Cam Whitmore’s health. They don’t see anything as a red flag.
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 23, 2023
Cam Whitmore was asked if he has any health issues: "No, I promise you there's not. I have
no idea. I don't know what happened. But I feel fine. It's
my body. If they think it's something different, they have
their own opinions. But at the end of the day, it's my body."— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 23, 2023
Asked Cam Whitmore if he could say one thing to the people in Houston, what would it be:
"Watch out."
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) June 23, 2023
Cam Whitmore on falling to pick 20:
"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."
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) June 23, 2023
Asked Cam Whitmore how he envisions fitting in with the #Rockets young talent:
"Everybody is versatile. Literally just drafted Amen. He's a great player, great athlete. Somebody who I can definitely play alongside. I'm just definitely looking forward to it. So that versatility…
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) June 23, 2023
Asked Cam Whitmore what he knows about Houston as a city:
"I just left Houston. I've been there since about a month and a half, just training there with Leo and also training with Aaron Miller. It's time to go back, get right back to work."
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) June 23, 2023
Per source, Rockets were just as shocked that Cam fell to 20. Says they didn’t see him falling below 8 or 9.
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 23, 2023
Cam Whitmore asked whether he had health issues after he fell out of the top 10 and to the Rockets at No. 20: “No. I promise you there’s not. I don’t know what happened but I mean, I feel fine. It’s my body.”https://t.co/TgY0Gy9cKI
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) June 23, 2023
Whitmore says he doesn’t know where the reported medical concerns came from — “I feel fine, it’s my body.”
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) June 23, 2023
