HOUSTON – In a game against the Brooklyn Nets, trouble brewed for the Houston Rockets. First, they still played without their starting small forward, Dillon Brooks, who has been sidelined with an oblique strain for over a week. To make matters worse, Tari Eason's ongoing leg soreness was downgraded from questionable to out, leaving the Rockets without two of their key premier defenders.
Rockets rookies coming alive
Facing the challenge of missing two key players, the Rockets rose to the occasion. While Alperen Sengun dominated, rookies Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson shined, providing exactly what the team needed.
They played 20 and 17 minutes, respectively, combining for a total of 21 points. With help from these anticipated rookies, the Rockets outscored the Nets 63-51 in the second half, including a 38-point third quarter after a tough first half. Down the stretch, Whitmore and Thompson played alongside Jalen Green, creating an extremely entertaining lineup.
For a team that relies heavily on its starting lineup, the Rockets' thin depth might not be as much of a concern as previously thought. Finally, it appears the rookies are demonstrating the main reasons why the Rockets drafted them.
At the beginning of the season, both players faced challenges. Thompson, selected 4th overall, was thrust into the role of backup point guard behind Fred VanVleet due to Kevin Porter Jr.'s off-court issues, which led to a trade.
Thompson's journey
Thompson's raw talents in facilitating, defense, and driving to the rim needed further development, and adapting to substantial minutes in the NBA took time. To ease this transition, the Rockets signed veteran guard Aaron Holiday as insurance.
As a result, the rookie had a slow start, averaging seven points while shooting 42.1% on 6.3 attempted shots in 18 minutes per game. However, Thompson's progress was hampered when he suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain in his fourth career game, causing him to miss over a month. This increased VanVleet's workload to an average of 39 minutes in 19 of the 32 games played.
Upon Thompson's return, it took some time for him to find his rhythm as the backup point guard. Since the turn of the calendar year, Thompson has steadily improved and is currently playing his best basketball.
In the last two games, the rookie has averaged eleven points with 3.5 assists and five rebounds while shooting 61.2% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. These impressive statistics come from just 48 minutes of play over both games, offering a promising sign for the Rockets and relieving VanVleet's heavy workload.
Humbling Whitmore
Now, let's discuss another rookie, Cam Whitmore. The Villanova product was eager to make an impact in the NBA from the start. Despite being selected 20th overall, Whitmore initially struggled with communication and consistency on both ends of the floor.
While he won the 2023 Summer League MVP and led the Rockets to the Summer League Finals, the NBA presented different challenges. Effective communication, consistency, solid defense, and ball-sharing are vital in the NBA. Initially, Whitmore struggled in virtually all of these important assets, which was a prime reason why he rode the bench.
Coach Ime Udoka decided to keep Whitmore grounded by sending him to the G-League after a couple of unproductive games in the NBA. This decision ultimately proved beneficial. In 13 games with the Rio Grande Vipers, Whitmore transformed into a G-League star, averaging 26.2 points, shooting 47.5% from the field, and hitting 39% from beyond the arc.
He excelled as a perimeter defender, recording 2.1 steals and 6.8 rebounds. Rockets fans eagerly awaited his transition to the NBA.
Not here yet
During this time, Whitmore had brief stints with the Rockets before being sent back to the G-League. While he was on the roster, Whitmore hardly received minutes on the court. There were tons of campaigns online to try and convince the Rockets to play the rookie. However, just three days before Christmas, Rafael Stone announced that Whitmore, along with Nate Hinton and Jermaine Samuels Jr., would be joining the team for the second time.
This time, it felt different. Things began to shift in Whitmore's favor. Two days after Christmas, the Rockets sent Samuels and Hinton back to the G-League, but Whitmore stayed.
This was a clear indication that he would remain on the Rockets roster for the foreseeable future, and he hasn't missed a beat. Whitmore always looks for scoring opportunities as soon as he steps on the floor, and he has found them with ease.
In each game he's played since December 22nd, the 19-year-old has shot 18-of-31 from the field and 8-of-16 from beyond the three-point line. Furthermore, every time he takes the court, Rockets fans erupt with excitement, quickly establishing him as a fan favorite.
Eager for more
Both Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore are drafted for a reason. Alongside Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Jalen Green, they are poised to be key components of the young Rockets' core for the foreseeable future. The sky is the limit for this talented group.
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