In last Monday’s press conference to wrap up the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone addressed a wide range of subjects related to transactions and beyond.
One of those discussion topics was rookie swingman Cam Whitmore, who has come on increasingly strong in recent weeks.
Drafted at No. 20 overall in the 2023 first round, the Villanova product averaged 18.1 points (47.2% FG, 42.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.8 rebounds in only 20.8 minutes over his last eight games.
Regarding Whitmore’s play, Stone said:
We’re excited about Cam. He can score the ball and we knew he was the type of athlete he showed on the court, that was pretty obvious. But I’m excited. I think he’s flashed really, really high-end offensive talent. And a lot of the stuff we’ve asked of him defensively, he’s working on. And so again, just like the rest of our group, it needs to translate. It needs to be every game, every possession.
Whitmore missed Houston’s final three games before the All-Star break with a right ankle sprain. But he’s expected to be healthy when the Rockets resume play on Thursday, Feb. 22, in New Orleans.
Complete video of Stone’s press conference is available below.
