2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Victor Wembanyama makes surprise team happy

With Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey cemented as the backcourt of the future, Detroit moves to sure up their wing rotation with Cam Whitmore. One of the youngest players in the draft, Whitmore’s powerful athleticism and budding two-way skill set should hold plenty of appeal for a team like the Pistons.

Whitmore missed the first chunk of the season with a thumb injury, but he has been stellar since his return. The sample size is small, but he has been an absolute star for an older Villanova team. Mixing brawny drives to the hoop with a smooth 3-point shot and ample off-ball effectiveness, Whitmore looks like a ready-made NBA contributor with star upside.

He isn’t the most inventive self-creator on the board, but Whitmore’s strength allows him to punish smaller defenders at the rim. Even NBA athletes will struggle to match his physicality once he’s moving downhill. If Whitmore’s current 3-point rate holds and he continues to make the small efforts — crashing the offensive glass, cutting backdoor, setting screens — it’s hard to imagine him falling much further than this in June.

Of course, defense also factors into Whitmore’s appeal. The Pistons have work to do on that side of the ball, but the on-paper versatility of Cade, Ivey, and Whitmore on the perimeter is tantalizing. Whitmore has the physical tools to guard 3-4 positions every night: quick enough to dance with guards on the perimeter and strong enough to battle forwards in the paint. He’s also quite prolific in passing lanes.