Toumani Camara

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Casey Holdahl

“A lot of ups and downs. I think one of the things I like the most about the game of basketball is winning games, so it was a really tough year. But I feel like I was able to learn so much being able to be on the court a lot as a rookie, which I didn’t expect. Just Looking back at it and looking at what I was able to do, I think it’s something that I never expected, especially not knowing if I was going to get drafted or anything, didn’t know how the process was going to happen. Just very grateful to have an impact on the team, be able to help a program and be able to learn so much as a player, too.” -- Toumani Camara

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Toumani Camara End of Season Interview | 2023-2024 | Portland Trail Blazers

GP: 70 (49 starts) | MIN: 24.8 | PTS: 7.5 | FG%: 45.0 | 3P%: 33.7 | FT%: 75.8EFG%: 51.6 | TS%: 54.7 | REB: 4.9 | AST: 1.2 | BLK: 0.5 | STL: 0.9 | TO: 1.2

According to Sportrac, Toumani Camara, who signed as a free agent after being selected with the 52nd pick of 2023 NBA Draft, has a base salary of $1,891,857 for the 2024-25 season. He is under contract through the 2025-26 season.

The 2023-24 season was the Year Of The Rookie for the Portland Trail Blazers. You had the draft picks in Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert and a Summer League invite turned free agent signing in Duop Reath.

And then there was Toumani Camara, acquired via trade from Phoenix along with Deandre Ayton, less than a week before the start of training camp. It would be incorrect to state that the 6-8, 220 forward out of Belgium via Dayton was a throw-in -- he had a predraft workout with the Trail Blazers prior to be selected by the Suns with the 52nd pick -- but to be frank, he was an afterthought.

But it became apparent early on that Camara was not your average late second-rounder. With a useful combination of size, strength and aggressive mentality, Camara proved early on that he was the exact kind of wing that the Trail Blazers have been looking for, one who can defend multiple positions at a high level while also having enough of an offensive game keep opposing defenses honest.

Despite being a late addition, Camara won a starting spot by his 10th game. He would head back to the bench for a stretch in January, but once again got promoted to the starting five by mid-February, where he would stay until suffering a rib fracture that would sideline him for the last few weeks of the season.

Along the way, Camara would become the first Trail Blazer to record at least 500 points, 300 rebounds, 50 three-pointers and 50 steals in his rookie season. He’d go on to finish the season finishing among the best rookies in steals (tied for sixth), rebounds (seventh) and blocks (11th). After shooting 29 percent from three in December and 24 percent in December, Camara 50 percent in February and 44 percent in March from behind the line, a good indication that he is well on his way to being a valuable “three-and-D” player, at a minimum.

"I think, right now, who I am is defense-first person," said Camara. "I'm trying to still find myself as an offensive guy. I feel like throughout my whole career in college I've been a four/five man so it's my first year playing on the wing and being able to put the ball on the ground a little more and not playing back-to-the-basket. So it's a lot to learn, a lot of few habits that I have to have but I think my role is going to keep on growing depending on how much work I put in to my role, who I want to become. I think my shooting is going to get better, I think my ball handling is going to get better, so I don't want to put any limit on myself but I think that's who I am right now."

Toumani is the kind of player whose impact is felt far beyond the the box score. The toughness and edge he provides, especially on the defensive end, has been a revelation on a team deficient in both areas for some time. Same goes for his size and athleticism on the wing. So while Camara might not have been Portland’s best rookie -- though you could make a good argument that he was -- he is the rookie that seems to have solved some of the problems that has plagued Trail Blazers’ rosters in the last few seasons.

Picking out your favorite Toumani Camara performance this season comes down to individual preference.

If you’re a fan of filling up the stat sheet, you would probably go with his performance in a 114-111 loss to the Nuggets on March 23 in which he posted 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, 2-of-4 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 shooting from the line, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block in 39 minutes.

If your more of a “winning plays” kind of fan, his efforts to secure a 107-100 overtime victory versus the Grizzlies on March 2, in which he turned in clutch plays on both ends of the floor late in the game, while posting 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in 36 minutes might be your pick.

And if you’re a fan of great highlights, the post dunk he threw down in a 118-113 overtime loss to the Jazz might be enough to make it your best game of Toumani’s rookie season.

But while it might not be his “best” game, I’m going to go with his last game, a 17-point, four-rebound, two-assist and one-steal effort in a 120-106 loss to the Hawks on March 27. It goes down as my quintessential Toumani Camara game due to the fact he played 30 minutes despite suffering a broken rib and a lacerated kidney. While it’s a shame the injury ended his season, the toughness one has to display in order to gut out an injury of that nature might have been the most representative performance of his first season.

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Season In Review: Toumani Camara

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PHOTOS » A look back at Toumani Camara’s 2023 – 2024 Trail Blazers season

Portland Trail Blazers

Toumani takes on the bracket challenge earlier this season.

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Bracket Challenge: Toumani Camara

Kevin Calabro and Lamar Hurd check in with Trail Blazers forward and Maurice Lucas Award winner Toumani Camara.

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Toumani Camara Interviewed From the Bench | Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors

PORTLAND, Ore.&nbsp;(April 11, 2024) – The Portland Trail Blazers have named forward Toumani Camara&nbsp;as the recipient of the 2023-24 Maurice Lucas Award, the team announced today.

The annual award was created in 2010-11 to honor the Trail Blazers player who best represents the indomitable spirit of Maurice Lucas through his contributions on and off the court, as well as in support of his teammates and the organization. In recognition of the award, the Trail Blazers will make a $5,000 donation to a nonprofit of Camara’s choice.

Toumani has embraced the Portland community since arriving in the city last fall. Throughout the season he has participated in numerous community events, including a Fred Meyer Season of Giving event where he spent time with a family from Self Enhancement Inc. for an afternoon of holiday shopping. Additionally, he taught the next generation of basketball players during a youth basketball clinic in February and enjoyed a visit to the Blazers Boys & Girls Club where he engaged with youth through cookie decorating and NBA2K battles in November.

“Toumani embodies high character and unabashed toughness on and off the court that Rip City has come to love,” said Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers General Manager. “We are proud to name Toumani the recipient of the Maurice Lucas Award this season as he has only just begun to make his bigger than life impact on the Portland community.”

In his first season with the Trail Blazers, Camara appeared in 70 games with 49 starts while averaging 7.5 points (45.0% FG, 33.7% 3-PT, 75.8 FT%), 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. Amongst all NBA rookies selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, Camara ranks first in steals per game (0.9), total rebounds (343), total assists (87) and in total steals (66) while ranked second in total points (527), total blocks (33) and in total three-point field goals made (58). &nbsp;Camara is one of only two rookies this season who has recorded at least 350 points, 340 rebounds, 65 steals and 35 three-pointers made along with Victor Wembanyama.

Former Trail Blazers All-Star Maurice Lucas passed away on October 31, 2010 at the age of 58. A beloved member of the franchise and the community, "The Enforcer" was a central figure on the Trail Blazers 1976-77 NBA Championship team. The Trail Blazers honored Lucas by retiring his uniform number (No. 20) on November 4, 1988.

Lucas averaged 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.72 blocked shots over five seasons (1976-80, 1987-88) as a Trail Blazer. During Portland's 1976-77 NBA Championship season, Lucas led the team in scoring (20.2), field goals made (8.0), free throws made (4.2), offensive rebounds (2.4) and minutes (36.2). Selected to the All-Star Game in three straight seasons from 1977-79, Lucas is one of six three-time All-Stars in Trail Blazers history (Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Clyde Drexler, Brandon Roy, Sidney Wicks). He served as an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers for five seasons from 2005-10, and previously in 1988-89.

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Portland Trail Blazers Announce Toumani Camara as 2023-24 Maurice Lucas Award Recipient

Toumani Camara and Rayan Rupert try their hands at dribbling while wearing foam fingers.

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Karmel's Combine | Foam Finger Dribbling

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PORTLAND, Ore. (Mar. 30, 2024) – During Wednesday’s matchup in Atlanta, Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara left the fourth quarter with a rib injury. Further testing showed that he has a fractured left rib and a small laceration in the kidney. Camara stayed in a hospital in Atlanta for further observation but is improving and has been released. He is returning to Portland for further testing and care.

Camara will miss the rest of the 2023-2024 season and is expected to make a full recovery.

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Toumani Camara Medical Update

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Toumani Camara Postgame Interview | Portland Trail Blazers 128, Toronto Raptors 118

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