Wizards’ Kishawn George reveals the secret to unlocking Cam Whitmore

WASHINGTON, DC – Several players on Washington Wizards had quality stat lines in a 119-102 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night, but third-year forward Cam Whitmore he was not one of them. The former Houston Rocket finished with just two points (1-3 FG, 0-1 3-point), one rebound and two turnovers in 11 minutes.

That’s not what the Wizards envisioned when they traded for Whitmore in July, but second-year wing Keeshon George explained how they can use your talent after Saturday’s 125-94 loss to the Orlando Magic.

“His physicality. He’s relentless, he can get to the rim. Super aggressive guy,” the former Miami Hurricane said when asked what Whitmore adds to the offense. “You just have to find him on team cuts, he’s a very good cutter, you can throw lobs to him. He adds another weapon…”

For George, the only time Whitmore scored on Monday was when second-year guard Bub Carrington found him on a cut to the basket in transition and fed him a lob for an alley-oop slam with 1:21 left in the third quarter. The play can be found starting at 11:46 in the following YouTube video.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=uvvG5Ks6kkc8

George also lobbed a pass to Whitmore from the three-point line on a fast break in the first quarter of Washington’s 139-134 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 28, which the last player is done with an emphatic one-handed dunk. These are just two of several examples of his speed and athleticism paying off throughout the season this season, but he has yet to score more than 14 points in a game this season, scoring 10-plus just twice.

Part of that is because Whitmore ranks ninth on the team with 15.9 minutes per contest as he adjusts to his new team. The former Villanova Wildcat has to compete for playing time in a crowded rotation, but he still hasn’t made the most of his burn.

For example, head coach Brian Keefe called a timeout and yelled at Whitmore after he missed a 3-pointer on the previous possession during the Wizards’ 117-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 24. Keefe was also upset as a 21-year-old turned the ball over finished after slamming into a crowd of Knicks players in transition on Monday.

However, the second-year coach also praised Whitmore after the Magic game, when he scored eight points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3-point) with two rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes.

“I thought he was one of the guys that created energy tonight and did a good job defensively on some of his guys,” Keefe told ClutchPoints. “He was attacking the rim. I was really happy with him.”

If Whitmore puts in an effort on defense, limits turnovers and makes shots in the offense going forward, he should get more minutes. But the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder must do both of those things consistently to excel on a young core with George (17.9 ppg), second-year center Alex Sarr (17.3 PPG), and rookie point guard Tre Johnson (12.3 PPG), have all established themselves as building blocks so far.

Whitmore’s size and explosiveness going downhill is why the Rockets drafted him No. 2 overall in 2023, but the team considered him expendable after adding future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant to a core of 2025 All-Star big men Alperen Sengun, a 2025 All-Defensive first-team guard, and Amen Thompy, the team’s No. 2 power forward. Jr.. Now that he’s on a team focused on developing young players instead of a contender, there’s no excuse not to prove himself. His fate depends on his ability to listen to the coaching staff and adjust accordingly, as well as his teammates feeding him when he finds space to cut to the basket.

CJ McCollum gives flowers to Tre Johnson

Meanwhile, Johnson has no problem doing what he was known for as a prospect: score the basket. The No. 6 overall pick has scored in double figures in six of seven games so far and is shooting 35.7 percent from deep, which is ninth among rookies while ranking third with 15 total attempts, per NBA.com. He also leads with 42 attempts.

Veteran running back CJ McCollum shared his thoughts on what Johnson is like adjusting to the NBA after the 76ers game.

CJ McCollum on how Tre Johnson is adjusting to the NBA game:

“I think he’s been great. He’s a player…Fearless. He’s got a quick release, he knows how to find shots. I think his poise is at a high level, I think his work ethic is really impressive…He takes care of his body…” pic.twitter.com/ajOzeki8u4

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) October 27, 2025

“I think he was great. He’s a player, he enjoys the game,” said the 34-year-old. “He’s fearless, he’s quick to release, he knows how to find shots. I think his balance is at a high level. I think his work ethic is really impressive, especially for a 19, 20-year-old. He’s always in the gym, he takes care of his body, which is rare. A lot of young guys really overlook that body double is too early. A talented player for a long time.”

It’s impossible to make long-term projections after seven games, but Johnson looks like he could be Washington’s best offensive option as he evolves from a rebuilding team into a contender in the coming years. Combine that with George’s do-it-all skills and Sarr’s two-way presence at the rim as a seven-footer, and the Wizards have one of the most promising young cores in the league.