There were more than a few surprises throughout the recently-concluded 2023 NBA Draft. The Los Angeles Lakers took part in the festivities as well, with the team reportedly making some key decisions even until the last minute. This included choosing to hold on to their No. 17 pick in order to scoop up Indiana Hoosiers standout Jalen Hood-Schifino. As it turns out, however, the Lakers not only considered trading away the said pick but also, had their sights set on another player in the Top 20.

One of the biggest surprises of the evening came in the form of Villanova forward Cam Whitmore falling all the way to the 20th pick. The Houston Rockets finally decided to pounce on the highly-touted 18-year-old after multiple teams passed on the opportunity to draft him. According to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers were actually one of the teams that “considered” taking a huge risk on Whitmore, only to decide to go with the “surer bet” in Hood-Schifino.

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At one point, Whitmore was viewed as a potential Top 3 pick. His stock dropped significantly leading up to the draft which ultimately saw him barely cracking the Top 20. It remains unclear exactly why Whitmore fell so far, but it appears to be a combination of things. Perhaps teams weren't all that impressed with his workouts, and maybe he botched his interviews. There are also some long-term concerns with the 6-foot-7 swingman, and it wouldn't be surprising if this was a major factor during the draft as well.

Either way, the Lakers had a chance to make a bold move in drafting Cam Whitmore, but in the end, they opted to practice prudence.