Cam Whitmore spent his first two NBA seasons spinning his wheels. It was by no means a waste of time, as he learned about accountability and the importance of defense with the Houston Rockets, but his move to the Washington Wizards was received as a breath of fresh air for a reason.
Whitmore is still finding his footing with the Wizards in 2025-26, but it's already becoming clear that Washington plans to reward Whitmore with patience and opportunity in a way Houston failed to.
Whitmore is averaging just 17.0 minutes per game thus far, which is admittedly a minimal jump from the 16.2 he played in 2024-25 with the Rockets. He's played at least 25 minutes in three of his past four appearances, however and is receiving the praise that can change a player's outlook.
According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Wizards veteran Khris Middleton praised Whitmore as an unpredictable force whose skill and upside have been evident to everyone in the locker room.
“You don’t know what poison to take,” Middleton said. “He’s an extremely talented player. Once he gets downhill with momentum, he’s a bowling ball. You can’t stop him. He’s so athletic. He’s got great touch, great athleticism. I think everybody sees it.”
With praise being openly heaped upon Whitmore, the time appears to finally have arrived for him to thrive in an environment that's designed for him to succeed.
Khris Middleton on Cam Whitmore's talent, upside: "Everybody sees it."
Whitmore averaged 10.8 points in just 17.4 minutes between his two seasons with the Rockets. That translates to a tremendous mark of 22.3 points per 36 minutes, which is a significant reason many are intrigued by his untapped potential.
At just 21 years of age, Whitmore has already displayed the ability to score at a star-caliber level, balancing his explosive athleticism with a powerful frame and a respectable jump shot.
Whitmore is a career 35.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc, which offers a solid foundation to build upon. The 6'6" and 230-pound wing shot 42.8 percent on catch-and-shoot threes as a rookie, although he experienced something of a sophomore slump at 32.7 percent in 2024-25.
Whitmore shot 38.1 percent on pull-up threes, however, which was a massive increase from 23.8 percent during his rookie season.
The inconsistency that Whitmore displayed provided Rockets head coach Ime Udoka with reason to limit his playing time on a team that's flush with depth at forward. In saying that, it was counterintuitive as far as the goal of developing Whitmore and encouraging him to play through his mistakes was concerned.
Washington admittedly has a deep rotation itself, but the difference is that the players in place are competing with long-term aspirations rather than the immediate need to win.
Whitmore's playing time should increase as he becomes more comfortable with his new teammates and system. He acknowledged the learning curve himself by saying that he's "still trying to get used to the chemistry and the role" he's playing alongside new teammates and with new coaches.
If Whitmore's recent surge in playing time and production is a sign of things to come, then he'll capitalize on the long-awaited opportunity to play a consistent role.