Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Rockets fans calling for Cam Whitmore should be thrilled with Ime Udoka’s comments

By Jeff Smith | Last updated 1/4/24

The Houston Rockets have quickly made their way into the conversation as one of the NBA's next young and intriguing up-and-comers, and they're quickly proving to be a group that has the makings of a legitimate playoff team. The Rockets moved to 17-15 on the season with Wednesday's 112-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

One interesting "issue" of sorts for the Rockets is that they are loaded with young talent, almost to the point that it's led to talented players being stuck on the bench or even spending time in the G League. One of those names is Cam Whitmore, who was the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Whitmore has impressed over a small sample size of playing time, and against the Nets, he saw bigger minutes, which ultimately led to a strong performance

But most importantly for Whitmore, Rockets coach Ime Udoka offered high praise to the young forward, citing that he was "grasping the concepts much better" and commenting on his awareness, per Clutchfans. Udoka also expanded on his comments as well with even higher praise.

Ime Udoka on Cam Whitmore's progress: "He looks sharp, in shape. Even in the blowout minutes that he's been playing, you can see everything start to slow down for him. Shot selection is great. He's making quick decisions. Defensively, everybody makes a few mistakes, but overall… pic.twitter.com/pjFZBRSYJ6
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 4, 2024

It's great news for the many Rockets fans who have been calling for more playing time for Whitmore, considering every time he's on the floor, he seems to fill up the stat sheet quickly. Whitmore finished the game against the Nets with 17 minutes and scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting (3-of-5 from beyond the arc) while adding two rebounds, two steals and one assist.

Whether Udoka opts to put Whitmore in the rotation more frequently will be the big question, but at the very least, the rookie is making a strong case to be in the mix.

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