WITH the top two in the NBA Draft looking a foregone conclusion at this point, the remainder of the selections continue to draw plenty of speculation, with many believing pick three is where the draft truly starts.

While there are plenty of strong prospects in contention to be selected with the third pick, one name that is well and truly in contention is Cam Whitmore, with the forward improving his game over the past few months to jump up the rankings.

Despite still having some issues with his game, Whitmore has shown enough development in the last 12 months to prove to any team that he could be a low-risk, high-reward prospect if given the proper tools to work on his craft.

Cam Whitmore

TEAM: Villanova Wildcats
POSITION: Forward
DOB: 08/07/2004
HEIGHT: 6ft 7in
WEIGHT: 232lbs

Whitmore’s rise to draft prospect truly began to gain traction over the last few years during his time playing for Archbishop Spalding High School in Maryland. Thanks to his size, stature and physical play, he began to get some attention from bigger media outlets.

His strong play at that level resulted in selection for the 2022 McDonalds All-American Boys game, where he held his own. Whitmore got his first taste of international basketball in that same year, representing his country in the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship. The youngster took his game to another level here, winning the team’s MVP award.

The coverage that came from his success at international resulted in Whitmore being named a five star recruit, with Villanova securing his signature, despite offers from Illinois and North Carolina.

The 18-year-old is a seriously impressive athlete, which will be an attractive facet to some teams. Standing at a solid height and boasting a lot of strength, Whitmore has a fantastic foundation with his vitals.

From a skill perspective, this is where he has shown the most growth. Given his physical attributes, it comes as no surprise that Whitmore puts a lot of pressure on the rim with his speed and size. He can also handle the ball, which will be an enticing factor for NBA teams, showing an ability to break down the defence. However, his shooting has improved leaps and bounds recently, and it is making the forward a much stronger prospect.

While he had always shown himself as a solid mid-range shooter with deft touch, his perimeter offence is the big area of development in the last year. He can now consistently knock down a three-point shooter, with a heavily improved motion behind this. He now looks much more confident in firing off a shot from behind the arc, dismissing many fears ahead of the draft. While there is room to improve here, he has shown a willingness to work on this area of his game, and it has brought success thus far.

Whitmore can defend all over the court, and works perfectly in half court sets as he can switch and guard the one through five. On both ends of the court, he is elite in transition thanks to his speed and work in both attacking and defending the open court.

The last few months have suggested Whitmore is the best wing in the draft, and he should find his name read out in the top five of the upcoming NBA Draft.