Toumani Camara turning heads, emerging as an ‘elite defender’ for Trail Blazers: Part 2

Part 2 of a two-part series on Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara’s rise from watching the NBA in the middle of the night as a young child in Brussels, Belgium to becoming a rising defensive star in the league.

Part 1: Toumani Camara’s unlikely journey to becoming a rising defensive NBA star: ‘He embraced all of it’

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Toumani Camara sat on a private jet bound for Portland from Phoenix, his head still spinning from the multiple trades that had him headed to the Trail Blazers.

Also on the plane was center Deandre Ayton, who appeared pumped to move on from the Suns after five polarizing seasons.

Camara wasn’t sure what to think about the move beyond his excitement of being whisked away on a private jet.

“It was one of my first times in a PJ,” Camara said. “So, it was good. It was a crazy moment for sure.”

Camara knew that Ayton was the prize. But he had no idea that the Blazers saw in him the same defensive potential recognized by his coaches in high school and at Dayton. Traits that coach Chauncey Billups coveted: Toughness and determination wrapped in a 6-foot-7 athlete with a defensive mindset.

Once Billups began tapping into Camara’s reservoir of potential, his rise became inevitable.

“His ascension has been amazing in a short amount of time,” Billups said.

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NOT JUST A THROW-IN

The Blazers worked out Camara before the 2023 draft but didn’t like what they saw. So, they passed on selecting the Dayton forward in the draft’s second round. Phoenix selected him with the 52nd overall pick.

During summer league play that July, Camara averaged 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in four games for the Suns. His play on defense, however, is what caught the eyes of Billups and Blazers general manager Joe Cronin.

This was not the same Camara they had witnessed during workouts in Tualatin.

A couple of months later, when the Blazers traded Damian Lillard, a flurry of deals included Ayton and Camara going to Portland. During those negotiations, Cronin essentially demanded that the Suns include Camara in the trade.

The Suns caved, which would prove to be a significant error.

For Camara, the NBA’s business side was a wake-up call. He took the trade personally, wondering why the Suns didn’t want him. At the same time, he wasn’t exactly sure why the Blazers did, given that they passed on him with their second-round pick.

Across the NBA world, Camara was viewed as an afterthought in the deal. Late second-round picks rarely become ballers in the NBA. The focus was on Ayton, a man Camara had just started to get to know.

Ayton had little to worry about. His future was secure, while Camara had a lot to prove. Ayton and Camara didn’t know each other. Camara had been in Phoenix for a month and had only seen Ayton around a few times. On the plane, Ayton saw that the situation had somewhat shaken Camara, so he did what he could to calm the rookie.

Camara said Ayton’s presence made the transition easier.

“I think in the long term, it for sure helped,” Camara said. “At first, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I was a rookie.”

The two sat together on the flight that included Ayton’s family. Ayton gave Camara a crash course on what he had learned during his up-and-down career that led to the Suns moving him.

By the time they deboarded at PDX, the two had become more than just teammates. Ayton wanted to be the vet Camara turned to for direction.

“From that flight to Portland, that’s where we built our bond,” Ayton said. “I tell him he’s like the brother I never had.”

Ayton, 26, is the same age as Camara’s older brother, Tidiane, who introduced him to basketball while growing up in Brussels, Belgium.

“We connect really well on a lot of different levels,” Camara said of Ayton. “The way we grew together and the way we learned from one another, we’re like brothers now.”

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DEFENSIVE IMPACT

Camara’s play on defense has turned heads around the league. New Orleans forward Trey Murphy recently called Camara “an elite defender” during a recent episode of the Kevin O’Connor Show.

Lillard has encountered Camara a few times, including on Jan. 28 during a 125-112 win at the Moda Center. Lillard, who often faces a team’s top perimeter defender, left Portland impressed with Camara as a defender and his unselfishness.

“I think he’s right up there at the top,” Lillard said of Camara as a defender. “His competitiveness, he has the size and the length and the energy to do it. He takes pride in it and he’s constantly going. It’s not like he’s gonna go away. He’s there the whole time … I think he’s one of the top two most valuable players on this team.”

Camara’s rise toward receiving respect around the league began during the 2023 training camp. By the 10th game, Camara was starting. He lost the job for a bit, but won it back and has been in the starting lineup since, beginning every game he has played in this season.

While Camara can be tenacious while attempting to lock down opposing scorers, his personality is entirely different when not in uniform.

“Just as tenacious and vicious as he is out there on the court, he’s the opposite off the court,” Billups said. “He’s a sweetheart dude.”

Camara’s humble approach has allowed him to accept direction from Billups as he did in high school and college. But like back in college, Camara is working to bust out of his shell. He developed into a leader at Dayton, but that was different. To do the same at the NBA level, Camara had to earn the clout to go along with his confidence.

Camara isn’t a star or a focal point of the team. Plus, he is just in his second season. Nevertheless, Billups has encouraged Camara to assert himself.

“He’s stepping up and saying some things in meetings, during film sessions and on the court,” Billups said. “He’s not afraid to say the tough things. For a young player, that’s not easy.”

From Billups’ view, Camara’s effort has allowed him to build up the necessary credibility to call guys out.

“You don’t have to be the best player on the team, but if you play the hardest, you’ve built up some equity where you can call somebody out,” Billups said.

Ayton has been impressed by how well Camara has handled the challenges presented to him. Camara, Ayton said, has the maturity of a five-year veteran whose only goal is to take care of business and play hard.

“He’s truly a student of the game,” Ayton said. “He takes care of his body. He’s always on time. He’s very genuine. He’s a super humble dude.”

Ayton confirmed what Billups said about Camara’s growth as a leader.

“I learned from him sometimes too,” Ayton said. “Just shutting the hell up and just hearing people out and locking in.”

Camara shows zero nervousness regardless of the matchup ahead of him.

“He’s just so relaxed now, knowing he’s going to be playing against the best dude every night,” Ayton said. “He’s excited to guard them, no longer excited just because he watched them while living in Belgium. He’s making these dudes work.”

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ADDING TO HIS BAG

Camara considers himself somewhat of an artist. He enjoys drawing and creating music when he isn’t watching movies or putting together puzzles.

His brother produces music, but Camara doesn’t see himself putting out albums and performing like Lillard.

“I only like messing around with it,” he said.

Camara also enjoys messing around with his offensive game. But withing limitations.

As was the case at Dayton, Billups expects Camara to know his limitations on offense. At least for now, the Blazers are content with Camara’s development as a three-point shooter.

He’s hitting 35.6% this season, up a tad from 33.7% last season.

“I put in so much work over the summer,” Camara said. “Really working on fixing my shot, making sure it looks the same every time. And now it’s really the little things. I feel like I’m close to being 100% comfortable with my shot.”

Of Camara’s shot attempts this season, 41.8% have come in catch-and-shoot situations and 50.9% occur within 10 feet, many on layups and dunks. He is taking 66.7 of his shots without a dribble and another 10.2% with one dribble. Only 10 percent come with between three and seven dribbles. For comparison’s sake, Anfernee Simons has taken 59.5% of his shots with between three and seven dribbles.

Simons, however, is far more creative and versatile with the ball. Camara is not at that level, and Billups doesn’t want him even to consider taking some of the shots Simons attempts.

Billups encourages players only to show in games what they know they can do, not what they’re working on. Often, what’s a work in progress fails miserably in game situations.

“That’s something we can put in our plan of development going forward,” Billups said. “You don’t want to be judged on that right now.”

For the time being, Camara is a trusted three-point shooter when open. When he isn’t, Billups wants Camara to take one or two dribbles and then make a quick decision. Don’t overthink things.

That’s similar to what was expected of Camara at Dayton.

“He had to play that way,” Billups said. “He wasn’t talented enough to do it any other way.”

At times, Camara falls into the trap of believing he can create shots not there and bad things happen. But that’s rare.

“But me as the coach, knowing what he gives me every single day, I got a little more extra patience for him, because he’s doing so many other things on the other end,” Billups said.

Camara said he isn’t in a hurry to expand his offense.

“I feel like it’s all about steps,” Camara said. “Right now, I need to focus on where I’m at today, and focus on how can I impact the game today. I’ll wait to save working on my offense for the summer to keep on expanding my game and adding things to the bag.”

Even if Camara becomes a more versatile scorer, Billups wants him to remember what got him into the NBA.

“What I’m never gonna let him forget, regardless of how many steps you make, you still gotta be that guy,” Billups said. “Because in this game, we know what you can do and you’re really good at what you do.”

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BLOCKING OUT THE SUNS

The Blazers swept the Suns in two games on Feb. 1 and Feb. 3. Camara scored 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals in the two games while shooting 13 of 19 from the field and 7 of 11 from three-point range.

Camara said defeating the team that traded him away with no explanation tasted sweet.

“I feel like everybody should take that personally,” he said. “I think it’s just part of the game. It makes the game fun.”

The Suns, who lack depth and a defensive ace, sorely miss having both Camara and Ayton. That was clear over the two games. And the mistake could sting for a long time.

Camara played in the Rising Stars event during All-Star weekend in San Francisco, California.

“I think it was great for Tou to just kind of be there,” Billups said. “Be around all of the best players in the world. Be celebrated.”

Camara wasn’t initially selected, which upset Billups. When Camara was chosen to replace an injured player, nobody was more pleased than his coach, who appreciated seeing one of his players being honored for doing the little things on the court.

“Usually, those guys aren’t celebrated like they should be,” Billups said. “That’s why I was so happy and proud that he was selected to be a part of it. But I think he got a lot out of it and probably got to know some of these players who he doesn’t see unless he is all up in their face.”

Camara certainly enjoyed the moment.

“It was a fun experience. Putting the jersey on. Being a part of the All-Star,” he said. “I think it was just huge, dreaming about the NBA my whole life. It’s just crazy to be part of that, for sure.”

He shared the moment with his agent, Dave Putterie, also from Brussels, calling the experience “a full circle moment.”

It was also a moment that left him wanting more. To return one day as a true All-Star.

“It’s definitely a goal of mine to be a part of the (All-Stars),” he said. “So, we will see how my career goes.”

— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)