Beyond Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 NBA draft brought unexpected twists. One of them came from the Los Angeles Lakers, who held the 17th and 40th picks. The franchise was initially linked to Cam Whitmore. However, Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham surprised the fans by selecting Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis. While other teams also overlooked Whitmore, the Lakers reportedly deliberated extensively before making their choice. Initially projected as a top-five pick in mock drafts, concerns about his medical condition led to the Houston Rockets securing the young talent with the 20th pick.

Now, midway through his inaugural season, Whitmore faces the Lakers in his first game against them—technically speaking, as he entered the court for the last 3 minutes of a blowout. Moreover, as the storyline adds an intriguing layer to the rookie’s journey and the Lakers’ decision-making, head coach Darvin Ham recently spoke about the rookie.

Cam Whitmore starts red-hot with Darvin Ham’s praise

In his pregame media session before the Lakers’ game with the Rockets, Ham showered high praise on the up-and-coming rookie, Cam Whitmore. He boldly declared the rookie as a “bright, young superstar” and expressed unwavering confidence in Whitmore’s long-term presence in the league. He said that Whitmore is “going to be in our league for a long time.”

Interestingly, in Whitmore’s full debut against LeBron James and the Lakers, he exploded with a massive first quarter. Opening the game with multiple 3-pointers and three thunderous dunks, he amassed an impressive 12 points in the initial stretch. Whitmore’s early contributions played a pivotal role in the Rockets’ commanding start, establishing an 11-point lead with a score of 42-31.

Fans blast Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka to overlook Whitmore

As Whitmore asserted his influence on the game, fans were immediately reminded of the draft controversies, prompting questions directed at Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka and Head Coach Darvin Ham for their decision-making.

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@BitcoinTrojan boldly stated early on that the player the Lakers were supposed to choose is now the reason behind their early deficit.

Furthermore, @therealDovez reflected on the missed opportunity where the franchise could have easily acquired Whitmore. The fan emphasized, “And Pelinka and Ham could have drafted him…”

On a contrasting note, @Lakers17rings compared Jalen Hood-Schifino’s talents to Whitmore’s, pointing out that Whitmore outshines Jalen with an impressive leap.

@heyvoon aggravated the frustration, claiming that despite rare opportunities to acquire fresh talents, the Lakers dropped the ball.

Cam’s demeanor during interviews played a role in the Lakers overlooking Whitmore. With that, @Alexand09752846 humorously suggested that they picked Hood-Schifino solely because he has a Kobe Bryant-related tattoo.

At halftime, the Rockets boast an 18-point lead. Cam Whitmore has played for 10 minutes and has delivered 16 points and 4 rebounds.

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