HOUSTON — The wait for Cam Whitmore during the 2023 NBA Draft took longer than expected. Whitmore was a projected top-10 pick. But Thursday night inside the Barclays Center, Whitmore was the 20th selection made by the Houston Rockets.

He was the Rockets’ second and final pick in the first round. Houston drafted Overtime Elite’s Amen Thompson at No. 4.

“Every time it kept counting down, just didn’t know where to go,” Whitmore said. “I was praying. I was really talking to God the whole entire time, for real. It is what it is. I was in Houston training. So it’s time to go back.”

Whitmore did not understand how he slipped outside the lottery. But as he sat in the Green Room pondering, Whitmore’s stock left general manager Rafael Stone in shock.

He gave an impressive pre-draft workout, and Stone said the results left the Rockets considering trading up from No. 20. The Athletic reported that Houston tried to move up as far as the 10th pick Wednesday morning, which was originally held by the Dallas Mavericks.

“We were actually really active in this draft, it just didn’t result in anything,” Stone said. “Mainly because Cam was dropping and [we wanted him] and we got him.”

No team ever disputed Whitmore’s talents. He came into the draft as one of the best wingmen of his class as a player who averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26 games at Villanova.

But Whitmore’s injury history became the reason behind his diminished draft stock. The 18-year-old forward sustained several injuries during the 2022-23 college basketball season. Whitmore broke his thumb during a pre-season practice that sidelined him for seven games.