Whitmore was selected by the Rockets with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Widely considered a high-lottery talent, Whitmore's medicals raised some red flags and caused him to be one of the biggest fallers of the first round. However, he lands in a good spot, developmentally, and will have a strong opportunity to make early contributions with the Rockets considering they're in the early stages of a rebuild. The Villanova product has an NBA-ready body, standing at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, and should be able to consistently get to the rim and make an impact defensively at the NBA level. Though he'll likely start the season competing with Kenyon Martin and Tari Eason for bench minutes on the wing, Whitmore could quickly climb the ranks as a two-way impact player on a team that lacks consistency.