Former Dayton forward will play in NBA’s Rising Stars game

The game includes NBA rookies, second-year players like Camara and players from the G League. They will be split into four teams and will play a mini-tournament on Feb. 14.

Camara, the 52nd player drafted overall out of 58 in the 2023 draft, is averaging 9.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in his second season with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has started all 46 games, averaging 31.7 minutes.

As a rookie, Camara appeared in 70 games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game. He ranked third on the team in games started (49). He missed the last eight games after fracturing his left rib and lacerating his kidney.

Camara has earned praise across the league for his defense. The Athletic published a story earlier this week with the headline, “Toumani Camara ‘doesn’t give up’: What opponents see in Trail Blazers’ young defender.”

“A lot of guys want to come into the league and want to score, and have their name in the paper and articles written. But a lot of teams already have their guys for that role,” Norman Powell of the Los Angeles Clippers said in the story. “When I came in, I knew I had to play defense, even though I probably didn’t — I wanted to score. But that was the road given to me, and same with him. He’s embraced it, and he’s doing a great job.”

Camara, a 6-foot-8 forward from Belgium, transferred to Dayton in April 2021 after two seasons at Georgia. He averaged 10.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in his first season at Dayton and made the All-Atlantic 10 Conference third team. He started 34 of 35 games, missing only a game at La Salle with an injury, for a team that finished 24-11.

Camara averaged 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds in his second season at Dayton. He made the A-10 first team and the all-defensive team and shared Dayton’s team MVP award with DaRon Holmes II.