Detroit Pistons Draft Talk: 2 wing defenders that could be elite
Detroit Pistons draft prospects: Cam Whitmore (Villanova)
Whitmore is a 6-foot-7 freshman for the Wildcats, who will be one of the younger players in the upcoming draft class. He’s currently 18 years old, and won’t be turning 19 until July, after the NBA draft.
There isn’t a huge sample size for Whitmore at the collegiate level yet, as he missed Villanova’s early games due to a thumb injury. Since returning, he’s had an interesting role for the Wildcats. Averaging just above 20 minutes per game, showing scoring prowess on some nights, while in others he struggled to find buckets. Notably, in his second collegiate game, Whitmore popped for 21 points against Penn.
He hasn’t looked great from 3-point land to date, shooting close to 27 percent on the season from deep. However, as a young prospect, this isn’t something that I would be worried about should Whitmore become a Piston this summer. There have been nights where he’s looked great from the field, so you know that the shooting ability is there. This will take some time to develop as Whitmore begins his NBA career, which is to be expected.
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Where I’m truly impressed with the Villanova product is his work on the glass. Whitmore is currently averaging six rebounds per game. Let me remind you, this is from the wing position.
He grabbed 10 boards against St. Johns (NY) and eight against Marquette, as well as a handful of other performances where Whitmore grabbed 6-to-7 rebounds. This has all occurred within his eight college games to date, showing consistency.
His big body allows him to fight for rebounds against opponents playing up at the four or five position. Having a wing who can rebound in the way that Whitmore does is a huge plus for any NBA team, especially the Pistons, whose wings are not good rebounders.
As a defender, Whitmore is pesky. He’s averaging one steal per game for Villanova, which is partially thanks to his ability to guard numerous positions on the floor. His frame also allows him to block shots, which hasn’t fully translated to the collegiate level yet.
Oh, and the athleticism is there.
Whitmore has the athleticism and tools to be a proper 3-and-D wing, which is definitely one of the Pistons’ biggest needs in the draft or free agency.