Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon recently ranked the top 25 defenders in the NBA on the Game Theory Podcast. Coming in at No. 14 was Portland Trail Blazers wing Toumani Camara.
That may seem too high for casuals who didn't frequently watch Portland play last season. The surface-level numbers would agree, as Camara averaged 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. However, considering Camara was one of ten players to make an All-Defensive Team last season. His ranking is, by default, too low.
A handful of elite defenders -- Anthony Davis, Ausar Thompson, Alex Caruso, and, of course, Victor Wembanyama -- were all left out of last year's awards because they didn't meet the 65-game minimum requirement to be eligible. But even considering that, Camara has a strong case to make as one of the NBA's premier defenders.
Toumani Camara is easily a top ten defender
Camara's bread-and-butter as an elite defender are all those intangibles that don't immediately stand out. He led the league in drawn charges by a wide margin and ranked in the top 35 in deflections, all while providing Portland with versatility as a player who can effectively guard positions one through four.
"Watching him defend is so fun because it's a combination of both things. It is cerebral in terms of how very clearly he's positioning himself... I haven't talked to him about this, but this dude has to dig so deep into scouting reports, I feel like watching him. He's so smart with the way he defends," Vecenie said. "And then on top of it, he does have the tools. He is extremely athletic -- he's 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan. He's consistently in front of you on defense and can take bumps. Very switchable. All of the tools are there with Camara. He is a serious defensive playmaker, and on top of being in the right position, it feels like all the time."
Camara played the four/five in college, but was impressively able to transition into a wing at the NBA level due to his athleticism and improved three-point shot. His frame, athleticism, and college background make him the ideal positionless defender for the modern NBA -- someone who can pick up a point guard the length of the court and provide helpside rim protection, all in the same possession.
This is one of the most coveted player archetypes in the league, and gives the Blazers a legitimate building block. Portland should have a top ten-ranked defense in 2025-26 with Camara leading the charge, giving him more national recognition as one of the league's best defenders.