Rockets Rumors: NBA Execs Question Cam Whitmore's 'Level of Care' After Draft Slide

Concerns over his long-term injury risk weren't the only reason why Villanova star Cam Whitmore fell out of the lottery during the 2023 NBA draft.

Sarah Todd of Deseret News reported Sunday that five different teams were concerned about "character issues" with the 6'7" forward.

"In each case, I was told that Whitmore was still expected to be a very high-level NBA player and there wasn't anyone I talked to who thought Whitmore was a bad person," Todd wrote. "There were just some questions about his motivations, his level of care, his attitude."

The Athletic's John Hollinger reported Friday that Whitmore's "workouts and interviews left teams severely underwhelmed."

Whitmore averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in his only season at Villanova. He also shot 47.8 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the 18-year-old to go eighth overall in his final mock draft. Wasserman also reported on June 19 that Whitmore "has closed the gap on the No. 4 spot during the pre-draft process."

Instead, the dynamic freshman fell to the Houston Rockets at No. 20.

While Whitmore suffered a thumb injury that kept him out for the start of the 2022-23 campaign, Hollinger reported his pre-draft physicals raised questions over his knees. His stock took a clear hit as a result.

The order of the draft didn't help Whitmore much, either.

After the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12, there were a lot of teams looking to win now that couldn't necessarily afford to take a prospect who possesses a high ceiling with an accompanying high level of risk.

Michael Porter Jr. famously fell to the Denver Nuggets at No. 14 in the 2018 due to concerns over his back. While those fears have been born out to some degree, Porter was also a key player in Denver's championship run.

Perhaps Whitmore can have a similarly fruitful NBA career.