Toumani Camara is in the midst of a second-season breakout with the Trail Blazers. Portland was adamant about including Camara, a late second-round pick, as part of the Deandre Ayton-Jusuf Nurkic swap. Now, we're seeing why.
The Blazers have desperately needed a reliable 3-and-D wing for several seasons, and Camara has become that missing piece. Defensively, he's making a legitimate case for an All-Defensive Team selection. Camara won Defensive Player of the Month in February, catalyzing a Blazers defense that was fourth in defensive rating.
Regardless of position, Camara frequently guards the opposing team's best player. He even earned himself the nickname "The Shadow" because you can't get rid of him. It's also a fitting nickname, as Camara quietly contributes to winning plays even if he's not directly involved. Camara is constantly winning the possession battle. He has an under-the-radar aspect to his game in terms of his intangibles, as evidenced by the fact that he leads the league in drawn charges by a wide margin.
Camara has always been a great defender, dating back to his collegiate days at Georgia and Dayton. As a draft prospect, it was clear that if he were to stick around in the league, it would be primarily due to his defensive versatility as a 6-foot-7 wing with a 7-foot wingspan. But in just two years, Camara has rapidly ascended from a draft afterthought to a key piece in Portland's rebuild.
Toumani Camara's offense is catching up to his elite defense
Not only is he an elite and somehow still underrated defender, but Camara is also proving his value on offense. One primary draft concern was whether he could contribute on offense, as it's difficult to be effective in today's NBA if teams don't respect your shot (sorry, Ben Simmons). Camara has put those offensive concerns to rest. This season, he's shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc, which is right around league average at the position.
The other red flag as a prospect was that Camara was a four-year collegiate player entering the draft at 23 years old, meaning his upside is, theoretically, more limited than the younger prospects. But Camara continues to defy those expectations as well. Not only is he improving his shooting and turning into a consistent 3-and-D wing, but Camara is also expanding other aspects of his offensive arsenal.
Blazers broadcaster Lamar Hurd compared Camara's game to Jimmy Butler's as something to strive for. At the time, it seemed ambitious, but Camara's breakout season makes that comparison feel less farfetched than anyone expected.
He's evolving on the offensive end as someone who is a clever cutter, willing distributor, and perhaps most importantly, continues to get better attacking closeouts off the dribble.
He's already proven to be the perfect fit for the Blazers' young core as a 3-and-D wing, providing floor spacing for Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Deni Avdija, who all like to get downhill and attack the paint. And yet, Camara continues to take his game to new levels that nobody expected.