Confirmed diagnosis! Right shoulder venous thrombosis! The NBA first-round pick discarded by the Rockets

Insider Shams:Whitmore diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right upper arm, sidelined indefinitely...The Wizards have officially confirmed the news.

During this summer’s offseason, the Rockets sent Whitmore to the Wizards for just a 2026 Bulls second-round pick and a 2029 Kings second-round pick, basically giving him away for nothing.

It was expected that joining the rebuilding Wizards would give Whitmore plenty of opportunities to fully realize his potential, but things didn’t go as planned. So far this season, he has played 21 games all off the bench, averaging 16.9 minutes, 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game—worse than his two seasons with the Rockets.

According to Wizards head coach Brian Keefe earlier,Whitmore’s limited playing time and occasional DNPs are due to his failure to meet the team’s expectations during practice.

Born on July 8, 2004, Whitmore was the 20th overall pick in the 2023 first round. A 1.98-meter tall swingman with explosive athleticism, he averaged 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in his rookie season, shooting 35.9% from three on 1.7 attempts per game, once regarded as a future cornerstone for the Rockets.

Unfortunately, Whitmore’s quirky personality, tendency for hero ball, and lack of defensive focus made it difficult for him to fit into Udoka’s disciplined system, leading to the Rockets trading him away this summer.

His position on the Wizards is now precarious, and with the current venous thrombosis possibly ending his season, Whitmore’s future is uncertain. He might be traded again or fade out of the NBA soon, potentially continuing his career overseas to keep his talent alive.

Though struggling on the court, he’s doing well in his personal life.

A few days ago, Whitmore announced his relationship with rapper Bianca Landrau, who was born in 1991 and is of Puerto Rican and Italian descent.

It seems young players from the Rockets like older partners; for example, Suns guard Jalen Green, 23, is dating a woman around 40 years old.

Well, if he can’t make it in basketball, at least he can live comfortably relying on others. (Just kidding.)