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Cam Whitmore

Archbishop Spalding High School (MD)

Team Melo

Class

2022

Height

6'6"

Weight

~210 lbs

Position

W/F

Strong Hand

Right

Committed

Villanova

Physical/Athleticism

Offensive Qualities

Shooting

Dribbling

Passing

Defense

IQ

Disposition

September 2021

*This evaluation is intended to build on top of Whitmore’s October 2020 evaluation.

Statistics from 2021 (11 Games Charted)

Cam Whitmore 2021 Stats.jpg

Full Nike EYBL Peach Jam Statistics (11 Games Charted)

Cam Whitmore Peach Jam Stats.jpg
Physical/Athleticism
Physical/Athleticism

  • One of the more explosive athletes in the country.  The explosiveness is accompanied by power and strength.

    • Powerful, explosive leaper off of one or two feet

      • Capable of exploding off a dead sprint, from a 1-2 step, or from a standing vertical jump

  • Capable of physically overwhelming opponents

    • Plays with force

    • Exerts his will on opponents

  • Upper body and lower body strength

  • Innate timing and anticipation on both ends of the court

    • Translates over to multiple areas of the game, especially defense and rebounding

  • Good hand-eye coordination

  • Great reflexes

  • Excellent fast twitch muscle fibers

  • Moves with a lot of velocity; great speed in the open court/transition

    • Powerful stride

  • Effective first step

  • High-quality body control

  • Prototypical size for a jumbo wing/forward

Other Offensive Qualities
Offensive Qualities

  • Improving his overall skillset, taking steps toward becoming a more complete player

  • Excels in transition/semi-transition – truly a potent weapon

    • Dynamic when he fills the lane and finishes

  • Puts tremendous pressure on transition defenses by pushing the pace off of misses and turnovers.  Has a lethal ability to board and push it up the floor himself, showcasing a combination of speed, power, and skill.  Looks to push at every opportunity. 

    • Without a wall, he is extremely difficult to keep from getting to the rim.  However, he will make you pay for such a strategy by finding his shooters.

  • Caps it off by being a superb finisher

  • Utilizes sharp change of direction dribble moves in the open court.  Combines with skilled footwork at full speed in route to the rim.

  • Avoids reaching hands with quick behind the backs and between the legs moves

    • Usually does so without significantly interrupting his forward momentum/speed

  • Uses a progressing euro step and side step variations to avoid would-be charges

  • Exhibits a consistent, effective drive and kick game when pushing the pace

  • Sound decision-maker on the push

  • Has a tendency to go too fast and turn the ball over as a result

  • Loses balance on his dribble moves due to his forward momentum

  • Runs into bodies and/or loses the dribble

  • Throws errant passes

  • Will benefit from adding a change of pace to his repertoire

  • Tracks the ball and follows the play to clean up misses at the rim

  • Expanding options from the point of attack in the half court

    • Continually advancing jab-step series that he combines with an increasingly effective first step.  Together with a consistent 3-ball, he is difficult to guard in this situation.

      • Keeps the defender off balance because they don’t want to get beat on the drive, but must respect his jumper

      • Can go right or left

  • Likes to use a right jab step into a side-step or step back moving left

    • Will precede the step back by selling the drive with a between the legs dribble, pushing the defender back slightly for additional space

  • Shoots a nice no dribble three after sizing the defense up, setting up an effective shot fake(s) in later possessions

    • Will utilize a small jab here as he is sizing up the defender

  • Once he gets the defender on his side or seals the defender, it is very difficult to stop him from getting to the rim and finishing

  • Takes direct angles to the rim

  • Progressing off the dribble.  Direct in most of his moves with the ball, but will use some rhythm dribbles, too.

    • Again, he does a good job backing the defender up to get the space for the 3

    • Consistently goes to a crisp, quick cross from right-to-left that may begin with a hard step and dribble right

  • Utilizes an equally quick behind the back when cut off going left to come back right, countering overcompensating defenders

    • Small tendency to lose the handle on this move

  • Putting together combo moves outside of his rhythm dribbles

  • Consistent shooter off the catch and off a rhythm dribble

  • Making headways shooting off the dribble, including moves stemming from the jab-step series

  • Growing ability to read the defense and attack (or not attack) accordingly

    • Knows where the defense is positioned when he catches in his spots within the offense

    • Naturally moves to the open area when off the ball

  • Not just a threat to score – advancing as a distributor, especially off of penetration at various levels.

  • Will be valuable in various offensive systems and paces because he can contribute in different ways

    • Doesn’t need the ball in his hands to impact the game

    • Capable of moving well within a motion-oriented offense, but is also able to function in pick-and-roll-oriented offenses and free-flowing, run and shoot offenses

  • Dominant in the paint

  • Has proven to be a difficult match up at the prep level for teams without a similar archetype to guard him since he is too fast/quick/skilled for a big and too powerful/strong for a lot of wings​

  • Preferences

    • Prefers to operate from the middle of the floor

    • Strong preference to shoot going left

    • While he is able to drive right or left, he has a preference for driving left, especially when pushing as the ball handler in transition

    • Prefers to set his jumper up with step backs, side steps, and rhythm dribbles

  • Finishing – top-shelf finisher

    • Exciting finisher who plays far above the rim

  • Finishes with explosiveness and power

  • Converts very well through contact

    • Can absorb the contact, hang, and finish

    • Can overpower defenders

  • Strengthening an already skilled left hand

  • Exhibits the hang time and skill to perform multiple mid-air maneuvers through the defense and spin it off the glass

  • Has a tendency to miss chip shots close to the rim

  • Outstanding on the offensive board

    • Always a threat to catch one off the rim in exciting fashion

      • Can effectively crash the board from anywhere along the perimeter to time putbacks off the rim.  His timing can be impeccable and he tracks the ball like a radar.

  • Uses a quick and powerful 2nd jump to follow up his own misses or those of his teammates

  • Capable of outworking his opponent, pulling in contested boards and following up his own shot multiple times

  • Anticipates where and how the ball is coming off the rim

  • Has a tendency not to meet the pass when posting up

  • Regardless of the situation, if he is able to get downhill, there is a very good chance he is going to convert or draw the foul

  • Continues to improve his footwork, utilizing the euro step regularly, shining light on his agility to avoid defenders on the floor while still finishing above/around rim contestants

Shooting
Shooting

  • Improved all-around shooter year-over-year.  He has progressed in multiple areas of shooting to various degrees.  Resumes a positive trajectory as a shooter in the long-term.

  • Continuing to grow in consistency from three, despite the poor shooting percentage during the EYBL Peach Jam

    • Shot 14-for-30 (46.7%) in the 7 games charted outside of Peach Jam

    • Shot 8-for-37 (21.6%) in the 11 Peach Jam games

    • At his best when his feet are set and is shooting in rhythm

      • Consistent off a pure catch-and-shoot

    • Expanding his range

  • Solid mid-range game when he goes to it

  • Developing his shot off the dribble, improving over last season

    • Shot 10-for-31 (32.3%) in the 11 total games shots were charted

    • Prefers to shoot the 3 off of a step-back

  • Has added a dribble-up 3 in semi-transition

  • Working towards consistency

  • Still learning to shoot with consistency under pressure and when off balance

    • Can shoot it with a hand in his face

  • Needs a bit of time to get the shot off, but has increased the quickness in the release

  • Must improve consistency from the free throw line

    • Shot 59.5% overall on 79 attempts (4.4 attempts per game)

  • Has another year to improve and progression is key

  • Mechanics/Form – has been moving toward a smoother release and cutting down on extra motion

    • At his best when he cuts out extra motion in the shot

    • There have been points throughout the year where he brings the ball away from his body and back in during his ascension to the release point.  This extra movement leads to greater inconsistency.  He has largely cut this movement out as the year has gone on.

    • High elbow

    • Release is from above his head, slightly to the right, away from his right eye

    • Terrific backspin

    • Great arc on the shot

  • Shot selection – quality

    • Relies heavily on his rim assault, but is adding to his approach.

    • Solid mid-range, though seldom used at nearly 1.5 per game (8-for-16 in 11 games)

    • 27.3% of his shot attempts came from behind the arc (42 out of 152)

    • Comfortable shooting from all around the perimeter

    • 20.4% of his shot attempts were off the dribble (31 out of 152)

2021 Shot Chart (11 Games – 4 Peach Jam / 7 non-Peach Jam)

Cam Whitmore Shot Chart.jpg
Dribbling
Dribbling

  • Displays an increased quickness in his handle, and has added to his ball control.  Progression as a whole with work left to do.

  • Improved change of direction dribble moves in the back court

  • Excellent speed dribble with either hand

  • Improving self-creation using dribble moves from the point of attack in the half court, and is has a growing comfort level in doing so​

  • Tends to make his dribble moves too close to the defender, leaving the ball at risk

    • Capable of fitting them into tight spaces in order to create additional space or to attack the rim

  • Prefers to dribble with the right even though he prefers to go left

  • Possesses the strength to absorb the contact and continue forward without knocking him off the ball or significantly disrupting his momentum

  • Will benefit from continuing to implement wiggle and deception into his movements with the ball

  • Keeps his eyes up in the open court as the ball handler

  • Uses his dribbles with purpose, for the most part, with that small tendency to overdribble when pushing the pace

Passing
Passing

  • Very encouraged by the skills and quick processing he exhibits

  • Displays sound judgment as a passer overall

  • Growing court vision and feel for the defense as a passer

  • Willing passer

    • Consistently looks to make the right pass

  • Puts zip on the ball

    • Really zips the pass to shooters as the ball handler on the break

  • Progressing passer off the live dribble

    • Skilled drive and kicker

  • Effective passer in the open court

  • Growing accuracy overall

  • Knows when to get it out of his hands

  • Has a small tendency to go a bit too fast and make a decision to pass before knowing where he is going to pass

  • Throws a strong and accurate outlet pass

    • Advances the ball nicely, greatly contributing to his team’s speed of play

Defense
Defense

  • Possesses excellent defensive instincts overall

  • Owns possession-changing defensive qualities

    • Moves quickly to take advantage of an opportunity in the passing lane or to protect the rim from the help side

      • Plays the passing lanes with great anticipation

      • Terrific at turning defense into offense

  • Skilled shot blocker; aggressive from the help side

    • Recovers well on the dribble drive or gambling on a pass, and is able to track and time the shot from behind

    • Exhibits terrific timing, a quick and explosive jump, and good hand-eye coordination

    • Can block shots with either hand

  • Stands straight up and down off the ball and walks around a lot when the ball does not demand him to do otherwise

  • On-ball defense

    • Capable of sitting down and playing with his feet, but lacks consistency in doing so

    • Shows patience and timing against the crossover to pluck it away

    • Generally looking to keep his man in front and rarely applies heavy ball pressure

    • Has all the tools to effectively defend on the perimeter

  • Tends to take possessions off

  • Exhibits good hands from the help side when he steps in

  • Does not offer much resistance in the post before the ball is entered and allows his man to easily establish position

  • Small tendency to not sprint back

  • Excellent rebounder; strong on the boards

    • Comes away with contested rebounds, thanks to his strength and jumping ability

      • He doesn’t just grab boards, he snatches them; he really goes and gets it

    • Seems to naturally find himself in good position.  Again, he tracks the flight of the ball well and anticipates where and how it’s coming off of the rim.  He just has those instincts. 

    • Works hard against bigger players

    • Tends to rely on his athleticism and not block out

      • Will turn and look

IQ
Basketball IQ

  • Overall, he has a growing feel for the defense and excellent instincts on the court

  • Progressing as a decision-maker

  • Budding awareness and feel for space and time

    • Understands how to let his body take over and react

  • Growing ability to read and recognize defenses

    • Recognizing openings and opportunities that come along with defensive shifts and movements

    • Learning to adjust his play accordingly

  • Plays to win the game; plays with purpose

  • Naturally takes direct angles

  • Understands how to play to his strengths

Dispostion/Presence
Disposition/Presence

  • Calm and competitive; sometimes stoic

  • Ready to attack at a moment’s notice

    • Strong motor that can wane at different times, but pick back instantaneously

  • Just love his aggressiveness and physicality; exerts his will on his opponents

  • Celebrates his teammates’ successes

  • Willing to get on the floor

  • Loves the game: “A lot of coaches will call me and say, ‘Does he love basketball?’  He really does. He will do anything to make himself a better player.”   - Archbishop Spalding Coach Josh Pratt (from What’s Up Mag, 2021)

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