Portland Trail Blazers lockdown defender Toumani Camara was recently awarded the prestigious honor of making the All-Defensive Second Team. Here were the ten players recognized:
All-Defensive First Team: Evan Mobley, Draymond Green, Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort, Amen Thompson
All-Defensive Second Team: Toumani Camara, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Ivica Zubac
Camara had as good a case as anyone to make the Second Team amongst that group, and you could even make an argument that he was still robbed of a First Team appearance. He averaged 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 78 games, which are impressive but don't tell the entire story of Camara's defensive impact.
Toumani Camara catalyzed the Blazers’ newfound defensive identity
His 6-foot-7, 229-pound frame combined with a seven-foot wingspan makes him one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He played center in college but has the length and agility to be a pest out on the perimeter.
Camara has not only guarded the majority of All-Stars this season -- he's shut them down, with notable performances like holding LaMelo Ball to 1-of-10 shooting from the field or Tyrese Haliburton putting up a goose egg in 25 minutes.
Camara won Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month in February.
The Trail Blazers were a top-ten-ranked defense in 2025, and Camara was the catalyst behind that. He forced stars to be inefficient and minimized possessions, leading the NBA in drawn charges (31) by a wide margin. In terms of total defensive stops -- which combines drawn charges, blocks, steals, and stops -- Camara ranked second in the NBA, only behind Atlanta Hawks' Most Improved Player, Dyson Daniels.
Even as is, Camara's All-Defensive honor proves that the Trail Blazers absolutely fleeced the Phoenix Suns in the Deandre Ayton-Jusuf Nurkic swap. But things are only skewing more in Portland's favor from the deal. They are getting off of Ayton's massive contract soon, whether it's in a trade as a salary filler this offseason or his expiring deal next summer.
Meanwhile, Camara only continues to unlock new aspects of his game.
Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin said the following on Camara's honor: "We're excited for Toumani and thrilled that he's getting the recognition he deserves. Toumani's aspirations are big -- he's just getting started."
Camara was the No. 52 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Many viewed him as a throw-in piece in the trade, with the two centers being the headliners, but that couldn't be further from the case. Cronin was adamant that Phoenix included Camara in the deal, and it's now clear why it was so important to get a late second-round pick back. He's already emerged as a reliable 3-and-D piece and continues to expand his offensive arsenal.
Portland landed a true building block in the Ayton deal. It just wasn't who we thought.