Toumani Camara has already exceeded expectations for the Portland Trail Blazers. He's made an All-Defensive Team and emerged as a key building block for Portland with his two-way impact. That's already exciting itself, but it's even more promising for the Blazers' future outlook, considering this may be the tip of the iceberg in terms of who Camara is as a player.
At Blazers media day, Camara talked about how his development benefited from having an entire summer where he was able to solely focus on improving his craft.
"This was a summer where I was fully healthy and didn't have the predraft stuff. I was able to just work on my game and become a more mature basketball player," Camara said.
Don't put a ceiling on Toumani Camara just yet
Camara spent four seasons in college, two at Georgia and the final two at Dayton. Because he was relatively late to enter the draft, he's already 25 years old despite playing just two seasons in the NBA. Some may assume that, because of his age, Camara is already more of a finished product compared to others in the 2023 draft class. While that can be the case for certain players, it doesn't apply to Camara's unique situation.
As the No. 52 overall pick, Camara has already proven to be a major steal as a prospect who's surprisingly been able to transition onto the wing effectively. He was primarily playing the four and five throughout college, meaning there's an entire untapped ceiling for him wing, particularly on the offensive end.
Camara is 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan, which, combined with his athleticism and quick hands, allows him to be an absolute pest on the defensive end. The fact that he played bigger in college is actually working to his advantage at the next level, as it's shaped who he is as a versatile player who can guard positions one through four.
However, the biggest shock of all may come on the offensive end. Camara isn't just a lockdown defender, he's already a reliable 3-and-D wing. He was an abysmal shooter entering college, shooting well below 30% from deep in his first two seasons at Georgia. But he steadily improved each season, connecting at a 36.3% rate as a senior at Dayton. That momentum has carried over into the NBA, as he shot 33.7% as a rookie and 37.5% last season.
That combination of elite defense and floor spacing is a coveted player archetype in the league and makes Camara worthy of a starting spot alone. But Blazers fans who have watched him the past two seasons also know that there's more coming to Camara's game that many around the league are overlooking.
Last season, Blazers broadcaster Lamar Hurd mentioned Jimmy Butler's career progression as something for Camara to strive for. The six-time All-Star was the No. 30 overall pick and didn't really take the league by storm until his fourth season, winning Most Improved Player in 2014-15.
That comparison seemed overly ambitious initially, but Camara is proving that we can't put a ceiling on who he is as a player just yet. He's becoming more than just an excellent 3-and-D piece for Portland, and there's tantalizing upside if he can generate more offense as a playmaker and shot creator.
This summer was a step towards Camara becoming that next evolution as he continues adjusting to become a wing in the NBA. With a fully healthy offseason focused on development, that maturation process he mentioned is about to pay off for Portland.