ORLANDO, Fla. — Houston Rockets guard Cam Whitmore had a busy week and logged a lot of minutes on the basketball court. Before scoring 14 points in 14 minutes and helping lead the Rockets to a 122-96 win over the Dallas Mavericks (and having the dunk of the night), Whitmore put up impressive numbers at the G League Winter Showcase in a pair of games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
“It’s just a great opportunity for me to get reps and get better, that’s all everybody’s trying to do down here and it’s been good competition,” Whitmore told Yahoo Sports.
Several NBA scouts and executives were present for the four-day tournament and showcase featuring future draft-eligible players from the NBA Academy teams (Africa and Latin America) and the G League Ignite as well as every G League team.
Yahoo Sports breaks down six players who performed well at the G League Winter Showcase, helping their position with teams and impressing other franchises looking for two-ways or other players to add to their rosters.
Cam Whitmore, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets)
Whitmore is leading the G League in scoring, averaging 26.2 points per game. The Rockets selected Whitmore with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and he was assigned to the Vipers in early November.
Whitmore is a high-volume shooter who also uses his size at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds to his advantage. His move down to the G League was undoubtedly to get more reps with the depth the Rockets currently have at the guard position. Whitmore loses the ball in traffic at times and needs to clean up his handle when turning the corner.
His 3-point shot has steadily improved from his one season at Villanova, shooting just under 40% from 3 on 10 attempts per game. The Vipers split 1-1 at the G League Winter Showcase and Whitmore was one of the best offensive threats on the court over the course of four days.
Bazley was the high scorer at the Winter Showcase and dropped 43 points in the first game for the Blue Coats while also adding 18 rebounds and 16 blocks in a 133-129 win over the Texas Legends. The 6-9 wing is a three-level scorer who showed signs of an improved 3-point shot, connecting on 5-of-11 attempts in the first game.
He cuts well off the ball, finishes through contact and has a strong face-up game off the block. Defensively is where he shines with his 7-1 wingspan and the way he can contest shots on the perimeter and slide down for weak-side blocks, logging 11 blocks in two games. Bazley started the season with the 76ers and has been with the Blue Coats for six games so far this season. He is averaging 22.7 points, 11 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 2.7 assists per game.
Thompson went undrafted in 2021 after playing four years at Oregon State. He was one of the best guards on the court at the Winter Showcase in the ways he took players off the dribble, made tough shots with a hand up and the way he found teammates in the lane. Thompson averaged 30 points, four assists and three steals over two games and is a player teams might be looking to add to a two-way contract in the future.
“I just want to show that I can help teams win games, my shooting ability and that I’m a team player and can make the right play consistently,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports. “Everybody’s journey is different and it’s just about embracing that and continuing to work hard and get better.”
Thompson played two seasons with the Windy City Bulls before joining the Capitanes and is averaging 23.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists over 16 games.
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Walker was one of the most dominant players in the post with his 6-7, 235-pound frame. The Mad Ants came up short in the championship game, losing to the Westchester Knicks 107-99. Walker averaged 18.3 points, six rebounds and 2.5 assists over three games. He showed a little more development to his inside-out game and was even the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll option off the wing at times.
Walker was the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and was picked inside the top 10 for his defensive versatility and how effective he is at keeping players in front outside of the paint. Walker has been on assignment for the Mad Ants since Nov. 22 and is averaging 24 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Davis dropped a career-high 38 points in the first game against the Birmingham Squadron and couldn’t miss from anywhere on the court, particularly from 3-point range where he went 10-for-13. In the second game, a win over the Vipers, he netted 25 points and added five rebounds and three steals.
Davis went undrafted in 2019 before the Toronto Raptors picked him up for two seasons. He was later traded to the Sacramento Kings where he played through the end of the 2022-23 season. Davis joined the Remix on Dec. 11 and came into the Winter Showcase with something to prove, showing NBA executives he can be an offensive threat and still score in a variety of ways.
Queen, a 6-5 shooting guard, went undrafted in 2020 and was electric on the court for the Magic during the Winter Showcase. This is his first season with the Magic after previously playing for the Mad Ants and Vipers the last two seasons.
In a win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami Heat), Queen knocked down eight 3-pointers and finished with 33 points. He added 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. In the first game against the South Bay Lakers, he grabbed five steals. His passing was shaky at times, throwing through traffic, but what he adds offensively is unmatched and he was one of the most fun guards to watch with his tempo and how he consistently hit big shots.
