The Rockets have six first-round pickers this season, which is also the capital of the Rockets' rise, and how far the team can go in the future depends on how far they can grow.
Shin Kyung, Smith and Eason are all gradually cashing in on their talents, and Green seems to be struggling a bit, but he has been in great form recently. Thompson, the No. 4 rookie of the year, has had a relatively consistent time since the start of the season despite being a substitute, and he has slowly adapted to the high-intensity game and played to his strengths.
In addition to the above five, Whitmore is somewhat special, and before the draft, Whitmore was always considered a top-five potential and would not fall out of the top eight in the draft. However, due to his erratic performance during the tryout, coupled with a back injury, the draft pick fell all the way, and he was not taken by the Rockets until the 20th pick.
Due to Whitmore's low draft pick, too many young players on the team, and because Udoka wanted a record and only trusted a group of veterans he signed by name, it was difficult for Whitmore to enter the rotation lineup, and he was eventually relegated to the Development League.
In the Development League, Whitmore performed well, and in the end, due to injuries to Ethan, Dillon, and Green's instability, Whitmore was recalled by Udoka. Who would have thought that Whitmore seized the opportunity and has now become the most consistent and indispensable member of the bench.
This season, Whitmore played in 21 games for the team, starting one, averaging 10.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game, shooting 48.5% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range.
Whitmore's style of play is mainly to rely on his physical strength and nimble feet to impact the basket, as well as three-point shooting after holding the ball. In addition to attacking with the ball, he can also play without the ball, which makes him the main point of attack of the team. And Whitmore plays very smart, he knows when and how to score, and if the outside shot is not on time, he will resolutely seek opportunities to attack the basket.
In terms of defense, Whitmore is different from Green and Shen Jing, Green and Shen Jing are not good at defense and are unwilling to defend, while Whitmore is different, he is willing to participate in defense, but the current defensive judgment is not enough, he likes gambling steals, and in defense, he needs to hone better in the game.
Of course, Whitmore's shortcomings are also very prominent, in addition to defense, he plays more uniquely, does not like to pass, judging from the games he has played so far, his own scoring cannot lead the whole team.
But since this is the first season of Whitmore's career, he is only 19 years old, and he still has a long way to go, and from the talent he has shown, he will definitely be a core member of the Rockets' future championship contention, and even become the team's boss is not impossible.
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