Former Villanova standout Cam Whitmore might finally be catching a break in the NBA, and he's making the most of it.
After bouncing from Houston to Washington, briefly landing in Cleveland for all of two minutes, and ultimately signing a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets in September, the 22-year-old is starting to look like a pretty interesting pickup.
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Whitmore is fresh off a 17-point (on 7-of-13 shooting) effort in Denver's 122-110 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, adding four rebounds and a steal in 24 minutes off the bench.
That came just over a week after he scored 14 points in only 15 minutes against the Utah Jazz.
Not too shabby for a guy who was looking for a more permanent situation a month ago.
Whitmore's career has been a little frustrating to follow since Houston selected him 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. The former five-star recruit and Big East Freshman of the Year has shown plenty of scoring ability, but injuries, inconsistent playing time, and questions about his all-around game have kept him from establishing himself.
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Now, he has a legitimate opportunity in Denver.
The Nuggets waived veteran guard Lonnie Walker IV earlier this week, leaving their 15th roster spot open for the taking. Whitmore is currently on a two-way deal, which limits him to 50 NBA games and makes him ineligible for the playoffs unless his contract is converted to a standard one.
It's worth watching whether Denver eventually gives him that final spot.
Through four preseason games, Whitmore is averaging 10.3 points in just under 16 minutes per contest. He's shooting 47.2% from the field, although his limited playmaking and inconsistent outside shooting remain areas to improve (and he'll need to hit the freebies more consistently from the charity stripe — 10-of-14, or 71.4%).
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Still, the Nuggets could use another athletic wing/scorer off the bench, and Whitmore is doing a pretty good job reminding everyone why he was once considered a potential top-ten pick.
There's obviously a difference between putting up points in the preseason and earning meaningful minutes on a team with championship aspirations.
But after three NBA seasons without much stability, Whitmore is at least giving Denver something to think about.
Hopefully, this is the start of something good for the former Wildcat. But with professional athletes apparently being allowed back into college sports these days, maybe he'll find himself back on the Main Line if things don't work out.
