Author: Monojit Mandal
Cam Whitmore, an 18-year-old from Odenton, has overcome many adversities in his quest to play in the NBA. Despite having overcome adversity and gone through a transformative journey, he is now projected to be picked number four in the upcoming NBA draft on Thursday.
Cam’s father, a retired Air National Guardsman, took a firm stance when it came to shaping his son’s destiny a decade ago. Cam first declared his desire to play in the NBA to his father, Myron Whitmore, when he was in elementary school and was involved in soccer and swimming. After exploring various options, they chose the Rhythm Dribble training school as the base for Cam’s development.
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The training ground lacked basic facilities, including air conditioning, heating during the winter and a hardwood practice surface. Instead, it was a rudimentary wooden hall where the children were subjected to harsh instruction. Cam was sent to the starting line-up by coach Darryl Adams, where he had the task of hitting the ball on the ground while his teammates concentrated on handling the ball. Despite the tough workouts, his perseverance and height advantage allowed him to succeed in rebounding.
Cam’s talents increased substantially when he entered the eighth grade, which earned him star honors at several camps. Coach Adams taught him dribbling skills, emphasizing precision and height to get to the hoop. As a result, Cam was able to demonstrate his skills on a larger platform. He joined Melo’s team in Baltimore and, despite being low on the national prospect list, surprised scouts by leading the East team with 19 points and 8 rebounds at the McDonald’s All-American Games in 2022.
Cam gained even more exposure when he was named a reserve for the USA team in the FIBA Under 18 Americas tournament. His extraordinary skills shone through when he scored 30 points and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Cam spent pre-draft training at the P3 training center in California before heading to Houston in preparation for the 2017 NBA draft. Private coach Aaron Miller gave him specialized training while he was there. Now, on the eve of the draft, the Odenton native is on the radar of the Houston Rockets, in position 4, and the Detroit Pistons, in position 5.